April 25, 2008
In the March 28 issue of the journal Science, NIDCR grantees and colleagues report their initial success creating unique self-sealing, macroscopic sacs and membranes. These nano-type materials in theory could be used to encapsulate stem cells, small molecules, or other therapeutics. As envisioned, they could be placed in the body without immune detection, reach a tissue of interest, quickly biodegrade, and release their biologic cargo, which may include nanostructures targeted to other specific locations. According to the scientists, these structures form via a dynamic synergy between a megadalton-scale polymer and other self assembling small molecules with an opposite electrical charge. The resulting closed sacs have a highly organized molecular architecture; in fact, as the membrane grows, its nanofiber bundles align and reorient by nearly 90 degrees. The scientists noted, “. . . ordered thick membranes could be molecularly customized to possess desired physical or bioactive functions. An interesting possibility is to design similar systems in organic solvents for non-biologic applications.”