IISc scientists develop material for bone implants

 A newly developed material made of polymer nanocomposite (a polymer having nanoparticles) that can be used in bone implants, has been developed by a team of researchers at the Indian Institute of Science (IISc).

“Age takes a toll on people’s bone health leading to diseases like osteoarthritis, osteonecrosis and rheumatoid arthritis. Rapid advancement in technology has however enabled in treating such diseases by surgical replacement,” said an official release by the IISc.

The researchers concerned had to ascertain that the material was compatible with human body tissues and do not cause any toxic effects. To test this, they grew two types of cells - bone cell and stem cells on the material. These cells showed enhanced proliferation and increased metabolic activity on the developed polymer nanocomposite that indicated its suitability as a perfect material for bone implants.

“This material supports growth of stem cells and bone cells parallelly. It has high wear resistance, better life span, is lightweight and doesn’t cost much to manufacture,” said Rahul Upadhyay, a research scholar at the Material Research Centre, IISc.

The mechanical strength of the material was also tested and results showed the new material has moderate load bearing capability and hence less prone to mechanical damage. “This material could be a promising candidate for moderate load bearing orthopaedic applications. The main aim of our research is to develop a prototype of acetabular socket for hip implant with dimensions specially suited for Indian patients,” he added.