New way to heal tracheal injuries created
Published: May 7, 2008 at 12:40 PM
CANBERRA, Mass., May 7 (UPI) -- U.S. scientists say they've created a technique that can heal airway injuries produced by events such as smoke inhalation and long-term intubation.
The Massachusetts Institute of Technology technique has successfully healed airway injuries in rabbits by the placement of new tracheal cells around the injury site, the scientists said. Two types of such cells embedded within a three-dimensional gelatin scaffold can assume the functions of the damaged tissue.
Most current attempts at tissue regeneration seek to rebuild the complex architecture with structural precision. But the MIT researchers said they found it isn't necessary to recapture the ordered layering to heal injuries. Instead, they concentrated on restoring cellular health. When cells are intact and have regained their biological function, they need only reside near the injured tissue to enhance overall repair, said Professor Elazer Edelman, senior author of the study.
Patents on the technique have been licensed to Pervasis, a company co-founded by Edelman, which develops cell-based therapies that induce repair and regeneration in a wide array of tissues.
The research appears in the early online edition of the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences.
The Massachusetts Institute of Technology technique has successfully healed airway injuries in rabbits by the placement of new tracheal cells around the injury site, the scientists said. Two types of such cells embedded within a three-dimensional gelatin scaffold can assume the functions of the damaged tissue.
Most current attempts at tissue regeneration seek to rebuild the complex architecture with structural precision. But the MIT researchers said they found it isn't necessary to recapture the ordered layering to heal injuries. Instead, they concentrated on restoring cellular health. When cells are intact and have regained their biological function, they need only reside near the injured tissue to enhance overall repair, said Professor Elazer Edelman, senior author of the study.
Patents on the technique have been licensed to Pervasis, a company co-founded by Edelman, which develops cell-based therapies that induce repair and regeneration in a wide array of tissues.
The research appears in the early online edition of the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences.
© 2008 United Press International. All Rights Reserved.
This material may not be reproduced, redistributed, or manipulated in any form.
This material may not be reproduced, redistributed, or manipulated in any form.
» Next in Science:
NASA-TV to televise ISS cargo ship arrival
A crane lowers space shuttle Discovery toward the external tank and solid rocket boosters already stacked on the mobile launcher platform in high bay 3 of the Vehicle Assembly Building at Kennedy Space Center, Flordia. The stacking and mating took place in preparation for the launch on the STS-124 mission to the International Space Station, targeted to launch on May 31, 2008. (UPI Photo/Jim Grossmann/NASA)
Space Shuttle Discovery set to launch on May 31
Full Photo
| Slideshow
Latest Headlines
- Huckabee apologizes for Obama gun joke
- Canadian autoworkers reach labor deals
- Groups sue to stop Texas border fence
- Back injury sidelines Serena Williams
- GM reaches pact with union in Delta strike
- Calif. wine pioneer Mondavi dies
- Stroke outcome helped by clot-busting drug
- Study casts doubt on high-salt diet risk
Most Popular
- Huckabee apologizes for Obama gun joke
- Study: Fish underwent 'reverse evolution'
- Back injury sidelines Serena Williams
- Flights at N.Y.-area airports to be capped
- Senator: McCain's military roots limit him
- Study casts doubt on high-salt diet risk
- Calif. wine pioneer Mondavi dies
- GM reaches pact with union in Delta strike