Credit: Soyun Joo et al.
Researchers have developed a novel “bone bandage” constructed of a piezoelectric material to promote bone growth and regeneration. Further analysis demonstrated the bandage's ability to promote bone regeneration during in-vitro and in-vivo testing using rats.
Current bone regeneration methods are limited to transplants and growth factor transmissions however, these methods bring numerous limitations including a high cost. In the study, published in ACS Applied Materials & Interfaces, researchers developed a biomimetic scaffold capable of generating electrical signals upon the application of pressure by utilizing the osteogenic ability of hydroxyapatite (HAp).
"We have developed a HAp-based piezoelectric composite material that can act like a 'bone bandage' through its ability to accelerate bone regeneration," said Seungbum Hong, professor in the Department of Materials Science and Engineering (DMSE) at KAIST.
Piezoelectric scaffolds have been shown to promote bone regeneration in polymer-based materials in the past, however, their ability to simulate the cellular environment necessary for optimal bone regeneration was limited. Despite this, the research conducted by Hong and his team shows promise in using the osteogenic abilities of HAp to develop a novel material that mimics the necessary environment.
To create this environment, the researchers developed a technique to fuse HAp with a polymer film. The resulting scaffold was flexible and free-standing, showing a promising ability to promote bone regeneration in experimental studies using rats. Further testing utilizing atomic force microscopy was conducted to analyze the electrical properties of the scaffold, as well as to investigate the effects of piezoelectricity on growth factor expression.
"This research not only suggests a new direction for designing biomaterials, but is also significant in having explored the effects of piezoelectricity and surface properties on bone regeneration," said Hong.