Novel biomaterial utilizes microRNAs for bone regeneration

Scientists from the Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland (RCSI) University of Medicine and Health Sciences (Dublin, Ireland) have recently developed a novel biomaterial which mediates microRNAs, small non-coding molecules that play an important role in gene regulation, for the acceleration of bone regeneration. The inhibition of a specific microRNA, miR-133a, is thought to enhance bone repair. For this reason, the team developed a nanoparticle and collagen-based scaffold that could be surgically implanted into the target site to aid the delivery of antagomiR-133a, a microRNA silencer. Their study, published in Acta Biomaterialia, showed that the localized delivery of antagomiR-133a increased bone volume...