Treatment of bone fractures with stem cells

Scientists at the University of Edinburgh, UK, have experimented using stem cells from the patient's own adult cells to heal broken bones and damaged cartilage. Although bones often have self-repair functions, the purpose of the study is to promote finding a way to treat severe fractures.

1.5 million pounds for new treatments

Scientists hope to help patients with serious diseases such as chronic osteoarthritis. In addition, this method can also be used to treat victims of serious fractures that cannot be linked or patients who have had bone resection due to cancer.

They used " bioactive scaffold " to protect stem cells and stimulate them to grow right in the bone or cartilage after they are placed.

A patient at the HCMC Orthopedic Trauma Hospital(Artwork: H.Cat)

The research medium is a type of material that has a hard, covered, or injected network that stimulates growth cells. Although the first experiments were successfully conducted, this technique has not been applied to patients.

The University of Edinburgh research team will begin to experiment on humans within two years, with a total investment of £ 1.5 million. Chairing this research project is Hamish Simpson, Professor of Orthopedic and Injury. He hopes after completing 2 years of experimentation, about 30 patients will be healed.

This research program has been invested by the Scottish Stem Cell Foundation (SCF), the Medical Research Council and Scottish Enterprise (Medical Research Council and Scottish Enterprise).

New step in stem cell field

Stem cells are capable of developing into many different types of cells, including bone. Over the past decade, scientists have learned how to create chemical environments to stimulate stem cells in the human bone marrow to turn into bone and cartilage cells.

The scaffolds created by the Edinburgh team today will help these cells grow normally in the human body.

According to Dr. Brendon Noble, of the Center for regenerative medicine, this is a spectacular step to heal broken bones or damaged cartilage. The aim of the study is to turn the knowledge that science has gained from bone biology research into tangible therapeutic applications.

In parallel with the use of bone marrow stem cells, the researchers also wanted to cultivate the corresponding cells from bone isolated from blood. This means that the cells can be extracted from the patient without surgery. Using a patient's own stem cells also means minimizing transplant rejection.

According to SCF, in the UK, hip fractures are the cause of death for about 14,000 elderly people each year, more than cancers. At the same time, the market for orthopedic devices worldwide accounts for 17 billion USD (equivalent to 8.7 billion pounds).

H.Cat (Summary: Scotsman - United Kingdom, BBC, VNN)