Researchers at the University of Southampton have developed a new method of using nanomaterials to identify and enrich skeletal stem cells-a discovery that may eventually lead to new treatments for major fractures and repair of lost or damaged bones.
A team of physicists, chemists, and tissue engineering experts works together to use specially designed gold nanoparticles to "find" specific human bone stem cells-emitting fluorescent light to reveal their presence in other types of cells And enable it to be separated or "separated" out. rich.
The researchers concluded that their new technique is simpler and faster than other methods, and is 50-500 times more effective in enriching stem cells.
The research was led by Professor Richard Oreffo and Professor Antonios Kanaras of the Quantum, Light and Matter Group of the School of Physics and Astronomy, and was published in the internationally recognized multidisciplinary journal ACS Nano.
In laboratory tests, the researchers used gold nanoparticles (tiny spherical particles composed of thousands of gold atoms) coated with oligonucleotides (DNA strands) to optically detect the specific messenger RNA of skeletal stem cells in the bone marrow (mRNA) signature. When tested, the nanoparticles will be observed under the microscope to release fluorescent dyes, which distinguishes the stem cells from other surrounding cells. The stem cells can then be separated using sophisticated fluorescent cell sorting methods.
Stem cells are unspecialized cells that can be developed to perform different functions. The identification of skeletal stem cells allows scientists to grow these cells under certain conditions, thereby promoting the growth and formation of bone and cartilage tissue-for example, to help repair broken bones.
One of the challenges posed by the aging population is the need for novel and cost-effective bone repair methods. One-third of women and one-fifth of men in the world are at risk of osteoporotic fractures. This cost is huge. The fracture alone causes 17 billion euros of damage to the European economy every year. The United States caused US$20 billion in economic losses.
In the bone and joint research group of the University of Southampton, Professor Richard Oreffo and his team have been studying bone stem cell-based therapies for 15 years to understand the development of bone tissue and Conditions that produce bone and cartilage. During the same period, Professor Antonios Kanaras of the Quantum, Light and Matter Group and his colleagues have been designing novel nanomaterials and studying their applications in the fields of biomedicine and energy. This latest research effectively integrates these disciplines and is a good example of the impact that collaborative, interdisciplinary work can bring.
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