National Antivisection Society
Animal-free model of cartilage tissue repair
16 July 2009
A Tissue Construct Model for Investigating Ultrasound Effects in Cartilage – 12 Month Progress Report
Pictured: Dr. Jamie Harle, who works on the project with Dr. Vehid Salih
The reliance upon donor grafts to solve orthopaedic problems is not an ideal solution. Producing natural tissues artificially, with the use of a scaffold to guide regeneration, is a suitable alternative. The efficacy of this strategy of regenerating tissue can be greatly improved by regular treatment with therapeutic ultrasound. This non-invasive technique, uses high frequency sound waves to accelerate bone repair, and may be of use to cartilage repair too.
Exciting progress has been made with this in vitro model which is being used to investigate ultrasound as a therapy for helping to heal cartilage tissue. The findings from the work of researchers at UCL Eastman Dental Institute and the Open University will be presented at an international Biomaterials conference later this year.
The presentation will promote the use of HA/alginate as an animal-free scaffold for an in vitro model of cartilage. The best scaffold composition will be used in the next stage of the project of the ‘exposure’ work.
Modifications to the ultrasound exposure rig are in progress to expand the range of acoustic outputs available for the next ultrasound ‘exposure’ stage of the work. This will enable exposure of pulsed ultrasound signals, rather than the continuous wave form, as used in the work to date. The exposure rig will be modified further allowing ultrasound signals to be amplified so that variable intensities of ultrasound can be delivered to the hMSC-alginate constructs.
During the next phase of the work, researchers aim to complete an ‘exposure’ study to investigate the biological responses of hMSC, made to change into the relevant cell types, for diagnostic and therapeutic ultrasound exposure parameters. The model will then be used to look for ultrasound-induced effects which are intensity-, exposure time-, or pulsing regime-dependent.
Find out more on the background of this exciting research:
Read about other animal free tissue models:
Find out about other LDF funded research presented at international conferences:
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