A new study finds that mucus particles can be used to create a synthetic material that can be injected into bone to help repair bone.
Researchers at the Royal Institute of Technology in Stockholm (KTH) have developed a bioactive gel that they say could replace the "clinical gold standard" for self-vaccination.
According to the new study, the missing bone can be replaced with healthy bone taken from another part of the patient's body.
Hong Yan, a researcher at the institute, said that the gel contains mucin particles derived from cow mucus.
The mucus is processed into gels that are combined with pellets, a commonly used artificial bone graft material. The artificial gel can be injected into the site of bone loss.
In tests with lab mice with cranial injuries, researchers found that this biosubstance can help solve two of the key requirements for successful healing of bone defects: promoting bone formation and blood vessels, and interacting with the immune system.
It gives mucus stickiness and can balance the reaction of the immune system. It can also modulate immune cells and reduce inflammation.But Yan says this is the first study to show how these traits work with tissue repair.The team believes the research raises hopes of better results in a broader range of procedures to treat larger bone loss.Yan emphasized that the regenerative approach, using the body's own cells through the active synthetic material, provides a way to promote bone healing