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Researchers are one step closer to developing a gel that can be used to repair and regenerate tissue.
The team from Columbia University in the US has created an injectable hydrogel using a by-product of milk and yoghurt – extracellular vesicles (EVs).
Experiments in mice showed that within one week the yoghurt EV hydrogel promoted the formation of new blood vessels, a process known as angiogenesis which is required for effective tissue healing and regeneration.
“Being able to design a material that closely mimics the body’s natural environment while also speeding up the healing process opens a new world of possibilities for regenerative medicine,” says Artemis Margaronis, a graduate research fellow at Columbia Engineering.
Extracellular vesicles are tiny sacs that are secreted by cells and carry important materials like proteins, DNA and mRNA. EVs allow cells to communicate and transport complex materials, something scientists have found difficult to replicate in the lab.
