Researchers from the University of Waterloo in Canada, in collaboration with researchers from the University of California and the University of Louisville in the United States, have developed a water-rich hydrogel inspired by the sea cucumber's ability to change the stiffness of its body, with the aim of helping to repair damaged tendons and soft tissues in the future. The material will gradually degrade inside the body and be absorbed.
The researchers explained that the gel degrades gradually inside the body and is absorbed within about eight weeks, which may allow supporting the healing process without the need for a permanent material to remain at the injury site. The method of manufacturing the material relies on freezing it to form its internal structure, then soaking it in special saline solutions that allow control over its stiffness and suitability for different types of tissues.
Experiments showed that tendons treated with the gel showed growth of more organized new tissues, with improved repair compared to tendons treated with medical sutures alone. The researchers pointed out that the technology may expand in the future to include the repair of other tissues, such as muscles, cartilage, and skin, but verifying its effectiveness and safety requires further studies.
The team intends to test the material on larger animals before moving to clinical trials, while having filed two patent applications related to the innovation, alongside working on developing it for commercial use. The sea cucumber is an invertebrate marine organism that lives on the bottom of seas and oceans, and is characterized by its ability to rapidly change the stiffness of its tissues, a property from which researchers drew inspiration to develop medical hydrogels.
Source: Syrian Arab News Agency (SANA)
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