Bio-glass formed into therapeutic 3D-printed structures

The team from Imperial College London and the University of Milano-Bicocca in Italy have developed a bio-glass material that mimics the shock-absorbing and load bearing qualities of real cartilage, a flexible connective tissue found in joints and between vertebrae in the spine.

It can be formulated to exhibit different properties and the researchers aim to develop implants for replacing damaged cartilage discs between vertebrae. They believe it also has the potential to encourage cartilage cells to grow in knees, which has not been possible with conventional methods.

The bio-glass consists of silica and polycaprolactone that displays cartilage-like properties including flexibility, strength, durability and resilience. According to Imperial College, it can be made in a biodegradable ink form, enabling the researchers to 3D print it into structures that encourage cartilage cells in the knee to form and grow. It is also said to display self-healing properties when damaged, which could make it a more resilient and reliable implant, and easier to 3D print when it is in ink form.