Treatment hope for knee cartilage issues

A new material could one day offer a solution for people who need knee cartilage treatment.

Knee cartilage needs to be placed under stress so it can regenerate, as happens when we take a step and our knees take our weight. At this moment they are the most receptive to medication.

Experts have developed a smart material that only releases a substance when the material is under stress.

The material is a combination of a hydrogel matrix, liposometype nanoparticles and a dye. When subjected to cyclic mechanical loading, the hydrogel matrix heats up. Once subjected to heat, the diameter of the liposomes shrinks significantly. This frees up space in the matrix, increasing its permeability and facilitating the release of the dye from the matrix.

Future treatment won’t be available immediately.

“First of all we need to develop a hydrogel and nanoparticles that are safe and biodegradable, before progressing to clinical trials,” explains Dominique Pioletti who led the work. “And, above all, we need to find partners interested in investing in our project.”