Microcages stack up for regrowth of tissues

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Microcages fabricated on a 3D printer could serve as scaffolding onto which hard and soft tissue can regrow and could eventually lead to lab-made organs for human transplant.

The small, hollow bricks can regrow tissue better than today's standard regeneration methods, according to research published in Advanced Materials.

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"Our patent-pending scaffolding is easy to use; it can be stacked together like Legos and placed in thousands of different configurations to match the complexity and size of almost any situation," said Luiz Bertassoni, Ph.D., who led the technology's development and is an associate professor in the Oregon Health & Science University (OHSU) School of Dentistry and an associate professor of biomedical engineering in the OHSU School of Medicine.

Bertassoni partnered with colleagues from OHSU, University of Oregon, New York University and Mahidol University in Thailand to develop and evaluate the technology.

When stacked together, the microcages are designed to repair broken bones. According to OHSU, orthopaedic surgeons typically repair more complex bone fractures by implanting metal rods or plates to stabilise the bone and then inserting bio-compatible scaffolding materials containing powders or pastes that promote healing.

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