It is pleasing to report that one of our Thinky Mixers has helped some research by a team from UCL. Their just published paper is entitled Argon plasma surface modification promotes the therapeutic angiogenesis and tissue formation of tissue-engineered scaffolds in vivo by adipose-derived stem cells. Synthetic implants are being used to restore injured or damaged tissues following cancer resection and congenital diseases. However, the survival of large tissue implant replacements depends on their ability to support angiogenesis that if limited, causes extrusion and infection of the implant. They conclude that argon plasma surface modification enhanced the effect of adipose-derived stem cells effect on angiogenesis and tissue integration of polyurethane scaffolds. The combination of adipose-derived stem cells and argon plasma modification may improve the survival of large tissue implants for regenerative applications.
Part of their method involved the mixing of a slurry of a modified polycarbonate urea-urethane polymer solution with a sodium chloride porogen, using a Thinky ARE-250 Mixing and Degassing Machine. Fascinating work!
Thinky Mixers work with a “planetary” mix of revolution and rotation
