Researchers from the Ulsan National Institute of Science and Technology have developed a new way to repair damaged bone using stem cells.  This innovative new technique uses human bone marrow and a carbon material that has photocatalytic properties, causing chemical reactions to increase when exposed to light.

This stem cell treatment could be used to treat a range of skeletal system injuries including bone fractures, breaks, osteoarthritis, and periodontal disease.

The research team used a substance named carbon nitride to increase the proliferation and osteogenic differentiation of a transcription factor that helps with osteoblast differentiation.  In simple terms, they discovered that carbon nitride could help speed up the rate that bone cells (osteoblasts) are created.  The research was recently published in the journal ACS Nano.

Scientists have already used bone marrow-derived mesenchymal stem cells (hBMSCs) to repair bone fractures and speed up the bone regeneration.  They are just starting to use a variety of substances to improve the efficiency of stem cells, including carbon nanotubes, nano-oxides, and graphenes.

Carbon nitride is an interesting material, because it absorbs red light and emits fluorescence, which has been reported to help with bone regeneration.  The Korean researchers analysed the capabilities of the material and performed tests to see how much it improved hBMSC activity.

The researchers also tested the safety of using carbon nitride with hBMSCs.  It showed no toxicity, which indicates it should be safe to use as a biomaterial.

This breakthrough could improve the way that bone injuries and degenerative conditions are treated.

Source: New stem cell technique shows promise for bone repair

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