Regenerative Medicine Highlights: April – June 2024
Journal Development Editor, Jasmine Hagan, shares her top papers from the April, May and June issues of Regenerative Medicine.
Over the past quarter, we continued to explore various topics within the field of regenerative medicine, including peripheral nerve regeneration, the application of biomaterials in regenerative medicine, along with ethical considerations for cell and gene therapy research and development.
In this feature, I share some of my top articles from issues 4, 5 and 6 of Volume 19, providing a snapshot of some of the most exciting work in the field, published in Regenerative Medicine.
Electrospun aligned tacrolimus-loaded polycaprolactone biomaterials for peripheral nerve repair
In the UK peripheral nerve repair affects 11 people out of every 100,000 annually. With surgical intervention being one of the main treatment options, there remains an unmet clinical need to develop novel strategies aimed at achieving complete regeneration and restoring normal function. This research article by Gregory et al explores the potential of biomaterial-based regenerative therapeutics for neural repair. In the study the team set out understand whether the implantation of biomaterials containing tacrolimus, a drug with neurotrophic properties, at the injury site could promote nerve regeneration. By generating both random and aligned polymeric tacrolimus-loaded biomaterials the team were able to investigate the impact of the aligned and random tacrolimus-loaded fibers on the gene expression of Schwann cells cultured on the surfaces of the fibers, and whether this promoted regeneration.
The team observed that the gene expression profile of Schwann cells was influenced by the nanofibrous topography and the presence of tacrolimus. Additionally, they found that Schwann cells and primary rat neurons cultured on the aligned tacrolimus-loaded fibers exhibited favorable properties for nerve repair through their directional outgrowth. These findings highlight the ongoing efforts in preclinical research for peripheral nerve injuries, offering hope that these biomaterials could one day improve outcomes of nerve repair in patient.
Use of Allograft Bone Matrix in Clinical Orthopaedics
In clinical orthopedics, biomaterials can be combined with autologous stem cells to enhance the repair of bone and other tissues. However, a common challenge faced with treating critical-size bone defects is ensuring the successful implantation of the biomaterials and the survival of the donor cells. With the extracellular matrix known to play a role in cell signaling to promote bone growth and healing, interest in the clinical application of extracellular matrix-based materials continues to grow. In this review, the authors explore methods utilizing decellularized and demineralized bone matrices (dECM and DBM) for applications in clinical orthopedics.
DBM can be formed from allograft bone, which undergoes a process to remove the inorganic contents of the extracellular matrix, retaining osteoinductive factors that promote bone differentiation and growth. While the use of DBM has been demonstrated in a number of conditions including bone defect repair and spinal fusion, it is not mechanically stable enough to be used alone and requires hydroxyapatite for structural support. Unlike DBM, dECM can be formed from allograft bone through the removal of nuclear material and it maintains the structure of the extracellular matrix, providing it with mechanical strength. In vivo studies have demonstrated that dECM holds promise for use in clinical orthopedic settings due to its favorable mechanical strength over DBM. The authors highlight the need for further studies assessing the use of dECM for long bone defects as this may open a new therapeutic avenue in clinical orthopedics.
A value hierarchy for inclusive design of heart valve implants in regenerative medicine
As the field of regenerative medicine continues to advance, ongoing efforts are focused on developing novel innovations with promising therapeutic potential. One example can be seen with the development of novel regenerative heart valves that slowly break down in the body and are gradually replaced by living tissue. In this study the authors explore the design of regenerative implants from a bioethical perspective, taking into consideration ways in which this innovation can be made accessible to all through its application and affordability. The authors propose three norms: regenerative valve implants should aim to provide equal health opportunities for all potential users; the design process should respect all potential users equally; and the implants should be made accessible to everyone in need.
By engaging users throughout the entire design process, the authors argue that this is a step towards establishing conditions for the inclusive design of regenerative valve implants. The article highlights themes of inclusion and diversity and how these can be translated into the design of regenerative medicine interventions as the field continues to advance.
Don’t forget to check out the rest of the articles from the April, May and June issues of Volume 19.
If you have any queries about Regenerative Medicine or are interested in publishing in the journal, please contact Journal Development Editor, Jasmine Hagan ([email protected]).