Khaberni - In a step that may represent a significant shift in the treatment of bone injuries, researchers at Lund University in Sweden have succeeded in developing an innovative, cell-free cartilage scaffold capable of guiding the body to naturally rebuild damaged bones.
The innovation relies on removing living cells from lab-grown cartilage tissue, while preserving its biotic structure and biological signals that assist cells in growth.
This method transforms the cartilage into a biological framework that serves as a guide for bone repair, helping the body to rebuild the damaged tissues step by step, according to "Science Daily".
Early success in animal trials
The trials conducted on animal models have shown promising results, as the new scaffold helped stimulate bone growth without causing strong immune responses.
Researchers are now preparing to move to the next phase, which involves clinical trials on humans.
Bone injuries and skeletal issues are among the leading causes of long-term disability worldwide. In many cases, such as the removal of cancerous tumors or severe joint diseases like rheumatoid arthritis and osteoarthritis or serious infections, the body is unable to repair the bones by itself.
These cases often require bone grafting to restore structure and function.
Researchers estimate that more than two million people around the world need bone grafting annually.
Although current treatments typically rely on using tissues or cells from the patient's own body, this approach can be costly and time-consuming, in addition to the physical burden it places on patients.
A technology that could change treatment rules
The researcher Alejandro Garcia, a specialist in molecular biology of the skeleton at Lund University, explains that the current treatments, designed individually for each patient, are not always the best option.
He said: "The patient-specific grafting operations are expensive and time-consuming, and they do not always succeed, whereas a comprehensive approach in tissue engineering, based on manufacturing repeatable materials, offers significant advantages."
How does the new scaffold work?
To develop the technology, the team initially grew cartilage tissue in the lab, then removed all living cells from it through a process known as decellularization.
Despite the removal of cells, the extracellular matrix remained intact (which is the biological network that gives tissues their shape and includes growth signals), and when implanted at the injury site, it acts as a natural framework that directs the body's cells to build new bone.
In turn, Paul Burgin, an associate professor of molecular biology of the skeleton and leader of the study, said that the new technology could pave the way for producing ready-to-use bone grafts.
He added: "The material we developed relies on stable and reproducible cell lines, and can stimulate bone formation without provoking strong immune responses. We've demonstrated the potential to develop a ready-to-use graft that can repair large bone defects."
He mentioned that the possibility to pre-produce and store this material represents an important step towards its future medical use.
The road to clinical trials
A standout feature of this technology is that it does not require custom design for each patient, which means it can be used on a wide scale.
The research team is now focusing on determining which types of injuries will be first tested in human studies, such as severe defects in long limb bones, along with completing the necessary regulatory and ethical procedures to launch clinical trials.
The researchers are also working on developing a manufacturing system capable of producing the scaffold on a large scale while maintaining high standards of quality and safety.
