Microbiologists at中央昆士兰州大学(CQUniversity), Australia, are working to use crocodile protein with healing powers and 3D bioprinting to repair joint damage.
A traumatic injury to a joint can leave a crack or a hole between a joining bone. The cartilage has difficulties healing as there is no blood supply to the bone. According to Dr. Padraig Strappe, Microbiologist at CQUniversity and leader of this research, “You are left with a hole that needs to be filled in.”
A 3D bioprint of crocodile cartilage also known as a “soup” can be inserted into the gap to fill the hole. The crocodile’s cartilage is rich in proteoglycans, a protein which promotes tissue growth, Dr Strappe解释了。
Possible alternative to joint surgery
近54 million people sufferfrom arthritisin the U.S. alone. In England and Wales, approximately160,000个臀部和膝盖置换手术每年进行。
The 3D bioprinting explant technique, transferring a cell or a piece of tissue from a plant or animal to human body, can potentially replace current methods of joint repairs that require surgery, according to Dr Strappe, “What we’re looking for is a long-term repair to the cartilage so people can return to work and to sport much faster and they don’t have the long-term effects of inflamed joints.”
3D生物打印鳄鱼软骨
鳄鱼的软骨比其他生物具有更大的软骨。这种软骨有助于鳄鱼保持其运动。肋骨笼子周围的软骨对于在CQuniversity工作的研究人员最重要，因为它富含蛋白聚糖。一旦获得软骨，就会使用脱细胞过程去除鳄鱼的细胞和DNA，以使蛋白聚糖适合人类外植体。
Dr Strappe personally collects crocodile’s cartilage from a commercial crocodile farm and restaurant, Koorana Crocodile Farm, Queensland, Australia. The farm is innovative in its waste management techniques, he explains. It sends the skin to Italian fashion houses and meat to the Australian meat market. The waste product for them is the cartilage which now Dr Strappe tries his best to acquire fresh from the farm for the purpose of his research.
3D打印关节植入物
2016年，发现生物玻璃的发现3D printed bioglass可能的植入物。这些植入物鼓励新软骨的生长，并促进受损关节的愈合。同年，一个研究团队由Mehaela Vlasea，机电一体化工程师, created a3D printed bone, which could graft itself to an existing bone to repair damaged cartilage.
在此之后，2017年Depuy合成，骨科和神经系统专营权约翰逊和约翰逊药品, acquired a 3D printing technology from组织再生系统。该技术可以制造患者特异性植入物促进骨组织的再生。同年，约翰逊和约翰逊与方面的生物系统合作3D打印膝盖。
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特色图片显示，在Koorana鳄鱼农场喂了一条鳄鱼。通过Eat，Drink+Bekerry的照片
