Using stem cells to mend damaged hips
Thursday 18 March 2010
Bone stem cells could in future be used as part of an innovative new hip replacement treatment, rather than using bone from deceased donors, according to a new research proposal funded by the Medical Research Council (MRC).
The new two-year study will build on recent research by a team from the University of Southampton’s School of Medicine, who believe that introducing a patient’s own skeletal stem cells into the hip joint during bone grafting can encourage re-growth and repair.
The £462,000 MRC grant will enable the researchers to introduce adult stem cells from bone marrow together with porous polymer scaffolds and test the potential of this new technique for hip revision.
Revision hip replacement therapy is carried out when that artificial joint needs to be changed. Currently, when a hip joint is damaged, part of the thigh bone or femur, including the ball, can be removed and a new, artificial joint fixed to the remaining thigh bone. At present, surgeons introduce donor bone to the damaged area to provide support for the new hip, but this new study could change that.
Dr Chris Watkins, Head of Translational Research at the Medical Research Council said: “This is a fascinating piece of research which we hope will give us real insight into how the body’s natural regeneration can be harnessed to offer better treatment options for patients. Research into the resilience, repair and replacement mechanisms in our body is a central theme in the MRC strategy and we hope this study will help to address a significant problem for an ageing population.”
Professor Richard Oreffo, an expert in musculoskeletal science at the University of Southampton who is leading the project, commented: "Surgeons currently use bone from deceased donors during bone grafting, so introducing a patient’s own stem cells to create a living cell or material composite would be a totally new approach.
"This is very much the beginning of a project to investigate the potential for this new technique, but our preliminary work suggests this may have significant therapeutic implications.”
Professor Steve Howdle, Professor of Chemistry at The University of Nottingham and an expert in chemistry and tissue engineering will be developing the polymer scaffolds for the study. He added: “This new grant will allow researchers to take their materials nearer to the clinic. This could have great benefits for patients, and also offer a significant cost saving for healthcare authorities; but first we need to verify and build upon our preliminary data.”
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