Bone regeneration is a complex process, and traditional methods such as bone grafting and growth factor delivery have been limited by high costs. In this context, a piezoelectric material designed to promote bone tissue growth has been developed.
KAIST announced on Jan. 25 that a research team led by Professor Hong Seung-beom of the Department of New Materials Engineering, in collaboration with Professor Koo Jang-ho of the Department of Convergence Biomechanical Engineering at Chonnam National University, has developed a biomimetic scaffold that generates electrical signals under pressure, utilizing the inherent bone-forming ability of hydroxyapatite (HAp).
HAp is a calcium phosphate found in bones and teeth, known for its biocompatibility, and is used in toothpaste due to its cavity-preventing properties. Previous studies on piezoelectric scaffolds have confirmed their effectiveness in enhancing bone regeneration and fusion in various polymer-based materials.
However, these studies faced limitations in replicating the complex cellular environment necessary for optimal bone tissue regeneration. This research utilizes the unique bone-forming ability of HAp to create a material that mimics the bone tissue environment in the body, presenting a new approach.
The research team developed a manufacturing process that fuses HAp with a polymer film. The flexible and independent scaffold produced through this process demonstrated remarkable potential to accelerate bone regeneration in both in vitro and in vivo experiments on rats.
The team also thoroughly investigated the reasons behind the scaffold’s effectiveness in bone regeneration. They examined the electrical characteristics of the scaffold using atomic force microscopy (AFM) and conducted detailed evaluations of surface characteristics related to cell shape and cytoskeletal protein formation. Additionally, the impact of piezoelectric and surface area factors on growth factor expression was studied.
Professor Hong Seung-beom of KAIST’s Department of New Materials Engineering stated, “We have developed a HAp-fused piezoelectric composite material that acts as a ‘bone bandage’ to accelerate bone regeneration. This research not only provides a new direction in biomaterial design but also explores the significance of piezoelectric and surface characteristics in bone regeneration.”