Industrial Consultancy & Sponsored Research (IC&SR) , IIT Madras
Long Bone Substitutes From Biomimetic Scaffold Of Plant Tissues
Technology Category/Market
Category- Biotechnology & Genetic Engineering / Medical & Surgical Devices
Industry Classification:
Healthcare & Medical Devices; Regenerative Medicine; Advanced Materials.
Applications:
Bone regeneration scaffold; Bone graft substitutes; Ex-vivo bone cultivation; In-vivo implantation, Custom biomaterials etc.
Market report:
The global scaffold technology market size is valued at USD 2.66 billion in 2024 and is expected to reach around USD 8.58 billion by 2034 with a CAGR of 13.9%.
Problem Statement
- Long bone orthopedic scaffolds are used in regenerative medicine to regenerate bone tissues.
- Current bone substitutes use synthetic or animal-derived materials, which are expensive and less biocompatible while raising ethical concerns.
- Moreover, limited bioactivity, inadequate porosity control, and potential immune reactions reduce the effectiveness in promoting bone growth and healing.
- There is a need for a plant-based scaffold that achieves optimal porosity, enhanced bioactivity, and reduced production costs.
Technology
- Uses Luffa plant-based scaffold with controlled porosity gradients (30-85%), mimicking natural bone architecture for enhanced cell migration, osteogenesis, and vascularization, promoting bone regeneration in orthopedic, dental, and reconstructive applications.
- Electrospun nanofibers of hydroxyapatite, titanium, zirconium, or ceramics coat the scaffold, optimizing pore sizes (300-600 nm) and enhancing bioactivity, strength, and cell-selective migration for guided bone tissue regeneration.
- Continuous and stepwise porosity gradients allow tailored scaffold designs, enabling control over cell migration, adhesion, and tissue growth, making it ideal for ex vivo tissue cultivation or direct in vivo implantation.
- Process includes decellularization and chemical treatment (EDTA, SDS, formalin) to remove plant cells, while maintaining biocompatibility for human stem cell seeding and supporting the growth of osteoblasts and endothelial cells.
- The scaffold supports ex vivo bone cultivation using autologous stem cells and in vivo implantation for fracture repair, bone grafts, and orthopedic implants, offering a sustainable alternative to synthetic, allograft, or autograft materials.
Key Features/Value Proposition
- The invention uses Luffa plant-based scaffolds that mimic the natural bone architecture (cortex and medullary structure) for bone regeneration. This approach offers a bioactive, eco-friendly alternative to synthetic or animal-derived scaffolds, which can be less biocompatible and ethically problematic.
- The scaffold is enhanced with an electrospun nanofiber coating of hydroxyapatite, titanium, zirconium, or ceramic blends, significantly improving bioactivity and mechanical strength and providing better cell adhesion and bone formation compared to existing technologies.
- The invention introduces a continuous or stepwise gradient of porosity (300-600 nm), which closely resembles the natural cancellous and cortical bone structure. Existing bone scaffolds typically have uniform pore sizes, limiting their ability to support selective cell migration and bone regeneration.
- The scaffold undergoes extensive chemical treatments (e.g., decellularization with EDTA and SDS) to ensure biocompatibility and optimal conditions for stem cell seeding. This processing makes it more compatible with human tissues, whereas many existing materials fail to provide sufficient support for cell migration and tissue integration.
- By using plant-based materials, this invention offers a cost-effective solution to bone regeneration while addressing ethical concerns related to animal-derived or synthetic bone grafts. It has the potential to reduce costs in comparison to synthetic or allograft materials that often require expensive or complex production methods.
Questions about this Technology?
Contact for Licensing
Research Lab
Prof. Soma Guhathakurta
Department of Engineering Design
Prof. Sampath Kumar T S
Department of Metallurgical and Materials Engineering
Intellectual Property
- IITM IDF Ref 1309
- IN 400800 Patent Granted
Technology Readiness Level
TRL 4
Technology Validated in Lab