Key points from article :
A team at the Korea Institute of Science and Technology (KIST) has developed a new stem cell therapy aiming to prevent amputations caused by critical limb ischemia, a severe form of peripheral artery disease.
The therapy uses a biocompatible scaffold made of collagen microgels to support stem cell delivery, improving cell survival and tissue regeneration compared to using stem cells alone.
Researchers created injectable, porous scaffolds from collagen (a component of the extracellular matrix) that interact with stem cells for better self-assembly and function.
This microgel-cell combination showed higher blood vessel growth potential and, when tested in mice, resulted in a 40% increase in blood flow and 60% improvement in preventing tissue death in affected limbs.
This therapy could provide a new treatment option for critical limb ischemia patients facing amputation and may have applications in other diseases requiring tissue regeneration.
The study is published in Bioactive Materials.
