Researchers at the Terasaki Institute in Los Angeles have developed a microneedle patch to deliver mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) into the skin. The biodegradable needles contain a gelatin matrix in which MSCs can survive. Once applied to the skin and removed, the needles detach from the patch and remain within the tissue. The hard outer shell of the needles breaks down over time and allows the cells within to provide therapeutic effects on the surrounding tissue.

MSCs have significant therapeutic potential in a wide variety of disease states. They show particular promise in a regenerative capacity, in applications such as wound healing or post-infarct tissue regeneration. However, delivering these cells to the site of therapy and keeping them there, alive and kicking, has proven to be a major challenge, and a sticking point in unlocking their full therapeutic potential.

Researchers have developed a wide variety of biomaterial delivery systems in response to this issue. This latest approach is a little different, and is intended to deliver and retain MSCs in superficial tissues, with potential applications in wound healing.

“Microneedles have been successfully used in the past to painlessly deliver drugs to target tissues such as skin, blood vessels and eyes. We demonstrate here with ‘Detachable Microneedle Depots’ that an analogous approach can deploy therapeutic cells at target sites,” said Ali Khademhosseini, a researcher involved in the study. “To achieve this, we developed an entirely new microneedle patch that supports stem cells’ viability, responsiveness to wound stimuli, and ability to accelerate wound healing.”

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By CONN HASTINGS –JUNE 11TH, 2020