Future - the combination of History

prototype

(Osteoprosthetic growth)


<prototype>
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 a. The Auto-generating Osteoprosthetic

            poly(lactide-co-glycolide) >

The prosthesis that we propose will consist of a titanium prosthetic in the shape of the original bone.  A synthetic compound (poly(lactide-co-glycolide)) will take the place of the growth plate in the prosthetic. This polymer will be the scaffolding that will allow the prosthetic to grow.  Three different nanobots will be responsible for mimicking human bone formation. 

Nanobot-1 will act like an osteoblast.  It will respond to the presence of poly(lactide-co-glycolide) and will fill the spaces between the scaffolding with calcium, phosphorous and a permanent protein scaffold. 

 

Nanabot-2Nanobot-2 will act like an osteoclast removing the decomposed poly(lactide-co-glycolide) that has been replaced by the protein scaffold. 

   Nanobot-3

Nanobot-3 will respond to the IGF-1 and IGF-II levels in the body.  It will take the poly(lactide-co-glycolide) harvested by Nanobot-2 and use it to make new scaffolding within the epiphyseal plate.  The bone growth is controlled by a negative feedback loop. 

Once the IGF-I and IGF-II levels in the body drop, Nanobot-3 stops making scaffolding, which ceases bone growth.

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