Scientists have developed a novel ‘biocooperative’ material derived from blood that has been proven effective in healing bones. This breakthrough could lead to customized regenerative blood products that serve as powerful treatments for injuries and diseases.
Researchers at the University of Nottingham’s Schools of Pharmacy and Chemical Engineering created this innovative material using peptide molecules. These molecules assist in crucial processes involved in the body’s natural tissue healing, resulting in living materials that promote tissue regeneration. This research was published today in Advanced Materials.
Most body tissues can heal small tears or fractures quite efficiently, but the healing process is quite intricate. It begins with blood forming a solid structure known as a regenerative hematoma (RH), a vibrant ecosystem filled with essential cells, large molecules, and factors that regulate regeneration.
The researchers developed a technique where synthetic peptides are combined with a patient’s whole blood to create a material that utilizes crucial components and mechanisms of the body’s natural healing process. This process allowed them to engineer regenerative materials that not only imitate the natural RH but also enhance its properties.
These materials are easy to assemble, manipulate, and can even be 3D printed while preserving the normal functions of the natural RH—such as standard platelet activity, the production of growth factors, and the recruitment of important healing cells. The team’s method has successfully repaired bone in animal models using the blood from those same animals.
Professor Alvaro Mata, who led the study in the School of Pharmacy and the Department of Chemical and Environmental Engineering at the University of Nottingham, stated: “For many years, researchers have attempted to create synthetic environments to replicate natural regeneration, which is challenging due to its complexity. Here, we’ve decided to work alongside biology rather than duplicate it. This ‘biocooperative’ technique opens new opportunities for developing regenerative materials by leveraging and enhancing biological healing mechanisms. Essentially, we aim to use the evolved regenerative processes as foundational steps to engineer new materials.”
Dr. Cosimo Ligorio from the Faculty of Engineering at the University of Nottingham, who is a co-author of the study, expressed enthusiasm about the potential to transform patients’ blood into highly regenerative implants easily and safely. “Blood is nearly free and can be collected from patients in considerable amounts. Our goal is to create a toolkit that’s readily available for clinical use, allowing for the quick and safe conversion of patients’ blood into rich, customizable regenerative implants,” he said.
