Scientists Create ‘Living Metal’ For Medical Implants
Andrew Follett on July 8, 2016 by The Daily Caller News Foundation
Scientists announced Friday they’ve successfully attached biologically active “living metal” to titanium, which could revolutionize how doctors create artificial joints and other implants.
Titanium is used by doctors to create implants because it is extremely strong and not harmful to human tissues, but the metal lacks beneficial biological properties of natural tissues like bone or natural teeth. “Living metal” created via the research combines the biological benefits of proteins with the physical strength of titanium.
A research team from RIKEN Nano Medical Engineering Laboratory examined how ocean mussels use a protein to attach to smooth surfaces and applied a combination of DNA programming and enzyme manipulation to attach a similar protein to titanium.
The research is one of the first tangible benefits of nanotechnology in medicine and represents an important step towards making fully biological materials and machines. New nanotechnology-based methods and materials could help doctors make more precise medical diagnosis, ensure better healthcare outcomes and create massive reductions in the cost of healthcare.
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