Next-Gen Bioresorbable Scaffolds Could Support New Bone Formation

The bone implant field has witnessed remarkable progress due to technological advancements enabling more robust grafts that are simpler to install. However, despite these developments, there are still associated risks. For instance, implants may become loose post-operation, necessitating costly surgical revisions and prolonging the patient's recovery period. Now, new research could help minimize these painful and expensive complications.

A research team from the McCormick School of Engineering at Northwestern University (Evanston, IL, USA), employing a multidisciplinary approach that integrates physical sciences, biology, surgery, and engineering, has proposed the concept of surface topography-induced chromatin engineering. They have shown how these surfaces can be used to modify patterns and also validated this method in vivo. These insights could inspire biomedical companies to devise new strategies for enhancing the effectiveness of musculoskeletal surgery devices.

Previous lab experiments have revealed that implant surfaces with engineered topographies can promote the differentiation of marrow-derived stem cells into bone-forming cells. The researchers validated this in vivo by demonstrating improved bone formation with implants featuring a micropillars topography. This surface structure induces cell nuclei deformation and aids the differentiation of marrow-derived stem cells into bone-forming cells. Using a critical-sized cranial defect model, the team showed that defects treated with micropillar surface implants exhibited more bone formation than those receiving implants with a flat surface.

“We could potentially design implant surfaces that would promote significantly better integration with surrounding bone, for example tissue fixation devices and hip or knee implants,” said Guillermo Ameer, Daniel Hale Williams Professor of Biomedical Engineering at the McCormick School of Engineering and Professor of Surgery at the Feinberg School of Medicine. “This could also potentially be used to develop next generation bioresorbable scaffolds that better support new bone formation, by implementing these engineered topographies throughout the surface area of the implants.”

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