This observation was made by researchers from USP through in vitro experiments with bone cells Disclosure
A study conducted at the University of São Paulo ( USP ) revealed that a new biomaterial, produced with collagen and carrageenan (a substance extracted from seaweed), can locally stimulate mineralizing responses of bone cells in vitro , demonstrating the potential to successfully replace natural bones in implants performed to treat trauma or pathologies, such as osteosarcoma.
The new biomaterial, recently described in the scientific journal Biomacromolecules , was developed by researchers from the at the Faculty of Philosophy, Sciences and Letters of Ribeirão Preto at USP ( FFCLRP-USP ) supported by the Research Support Foundation of the State of São Paulo ( FAPESP ) – projects and
Currently, the gold standard for bone implants is the use of autogenous materials, that is, materials taken from the patient's own body. This process, however, presents difficulties: it requires additional surgery, with the risk of infections, and it cannot always be used in large areas.
The main tendency to overcome these problems is the development of artificial materials that replicate the complexity of the bone structure with similarity, safety and efficiency, such as this biomaterial composed of type 1 collagen (the most abundant protein in the bone matrix) from cattle or pigs and from carrageenan. This last substance resembles chondroitin sulfate, which is one of the compounds present in natural bones and has the function of organizing and mineralizing the bone matrix and promoting cell adhesion.
To test its viability and potential, the scientists cultivated osteoblasts (cells responsible for the formation of mineralized bone matrix) in the laboratory in two ways: with collagen alone and with collagen and carrageenan.
Microscopic images of cultured osteoblasts with collagen and carrageenan revealed the presence of a dense and uniform network of intertwined fibrils on their surface and collagen fibrils with alignment similar to dense connective tissues. The researchers also observed an increase in the expression of genes encoding proteins related to bone mineralization, such as alkaline phosphatase (Alp), bone sialoprotein (Bsp), osteocalcin (Oc) and osteopontin (Opn).
“Our results showed that the combination of carrageenan and collagen stimulated cell mineralization responses better than collagen alone, validating in vitro the hypothesis that the presence of a component chemically and structurally similar to one of the compounds found in bones together with the Collagen is key in the process,” said , professor at the Department of Chemistry at FFCLRP-USP and study coordinator. “The idea now is to carry out in vivo tests to assess the possibility and safety of filling any type of bone defect with this biomaterial”.
Among the main advantages of the polysaccharide extracted from seaweed, which is already frequently used in the food and cosmetics industry as a stabilizer, Dr. Ana Paula Ramos highlighted its abundance, its low cost (in contrast to the high commercial cost of chondroitin sulfate) and the fact that it is a material from a renewable source, ensuring its compatibility with the concept of green chemistry, a branch of chemistry that seeks to reduce the use of polluting substances or substances that may compromise the environment.
Access the full story on the FAPESP Agency page .
Source: Julia Moióli, FAPESP Agency. Image: Disclosure.