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Building Back Better

A combination of microgels supports growth of bone and blood vessel formation

15 November 2022

Building Back Better

You slip, trip or fall and crack...your bone breaks. The bigger the break, the longer it takes to heal, as bone and blood vessels rebuild. Sometimes a bone graft is needed for complete recovery. However, current engineered bone grafts promote bone formation alone. Researchers now present a scaffold that promotes bone and blood vessel formation – microgels containing proteins that mimic the matrix in which bone cells sit. When human mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) were added to microgels containing chitosan, gelatin and hydroxyapatite, they attached and matured into bone cells. Next, MSCs were added to microgels containing only gelatin. Fluorescence microscopy revealed MSCs attached (pictured, left), stretched out (right) and matured into networks of endothelial cells, which line blood vessels. Combining the two microgels encouraged and enhanced bone and blood vessel formation. This lays the foundation for creating scaffolds that promote both new bone and blood vessels to heal fractures.

Written by Lux Fatimathas

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BPoD stands for Biomedical Picture of the Day. Managed by the MRC Laboratory of Medical Sciences until Jul 2023, it is now run independently by a dedicated team of scientists and writers. The website aims to engage everyone, young and old, in the wonders of biology, and its influence on medicine. The ever-growing archive of more than 4000 research images documents over a decade of progress. Explore the collection and see what you discover. Images are kindly provided for inclusion on this website through the generosity of scientists across the globe.

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