Islander
08-07-11, 04:15 PM
Written for Gemini by Hege J. Tunstad
AUG 06, 2011
Norwegian researchers are working on a method of growing bones from tiny beads derived from seaweed
Artificial hips would not be quite so artificial, if researchers succeed in developing living bone mass.
Researchers at the Norwegian Institute for Science and Technology (NTNU) have recently discovered that alginate beads can control the creation of calcium phosphate – one of the skeleton’s essential building blocks. Now they’re dreaming of how they can use this finding to grow new bones.
Useful beads
Alginates are biopolymers derived from seaweed. They have the ability to thicken and stabilize solutions and form gels, and are used in a number of applications in both the food and medical industries. Alginate beads are much like fish oil capsules, but much smaller, and without oil. The beads show particular promise in cell transplantation.
And now it appears that alginate beads can also be used as a kind of greenhouse for growing bone mass.
Read more: http://earthsky.org/human-world/a-greenhouse-for-growing-bones
AUG 06, 2011
Norwegian researchers are working on a method of growing bones from tiny beads derived from seaweed
Artificial hips would not be quite so artificial, if researchers succeed in developing living bone mass.
Researchers at the Norwegian Institute for Science and Technology (NTNU) have recently discovered that alginate beads can control the creation of calcium phosphate – one of the skeleton’s essential building blocks. Now they’re dreaming of how they can use this finding to grow new bones.
Useful beads
Alginates are biopolymers derived from seaweed. They have the ability to thicken and stabilize solutions and form gels, and are used in a number of applications in both the food and medical industries. Alginate beads are much like fish oil capsules, but much smaller, and without oil. The beads show particular promise in cell transplantation.
And now it appears that alginate beads can also be used as a kind of greenhouse for growing bone mass.
Read more: http://earthsky.org/human-world/a-greenhouse-for-growing-bones