Bundang CHA Hospital researchers develop next-generation bone regeneration scaffold

A research team led by Professor Lee Soon-cheol at Bundang CHA Hospital has developed a next-generation bioactive scaffold designed to promote bone regeneration. Unlike traditional scaffolds that primarily serve as structural supports, this new material actively induces stem cells to migrate to damaged areas and differentiate into bone cells.

The technology utilizes calcium lactate, which releases both calcium and lactic acid during decomposition. Calcium provides the minerals necessary for new bone formation, while lactic acid acts as a signaling molecule that activates the OR5AN1 receptor on cell surfaces, prompting stem cells to grow into bone cells. The scaffold also incorporates the protein SDF-1 to attract stem cells to the injury site early on.

In animal model experiments, the new scaffold demonstrated superior bone production and tissue maturity compared to existing materials. The study, which highlights the role of lactic acid as a key signaling agent in bone repair, has been published in the international journal ‘Carbohydrate Polymers’.