Implants will dissolve in the body by themselves: Chinese biochemists have created biodegradable glass

Scientists from China have successfully developed glass made from amino acids and peptides that can be used as a biodegradable and biocompatible substitute for plastic materials, especially in medicine. According to research published in the scientific journal Science Advances, this material can be successfully composted and leaves no residue in the environment.

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Conventional glass production uses high temperatures to melt raw materials, which can destroy amino acids and peptides. Chinese scientists have modified amino acids and peptides by adding hydrophobic groups to their molecules at the ends to increase the thermal stability of the substances.

Rapid cooling of the molten mass made it possible to obtain high quality glass that transmits about 90% of light. Layers of glass with different amino acid compositions produce different types of material. The study of the properties of these materials showed that balls of different types of glass decompose in compost from three weeks to eight months, and when implanted under the skin of mice, the glass did not cause obvious signs of rejection or swelling. After two to four weeks, the 0.5-centimeter-diameter balls dissolved and became invisible. However, at first, they noticed a slight muscle atrophy at the implantation site, which disappeared in a few weeks.

The inventors believe that their new glass can be a worthy alternative to less successful materials. In particular, this glass can be used to create biocompatible temporary implants that will automatically dissolve in the body when they are no longer needed, eliminating the need for repeated surgery.

The fact that this glass is biodegradable and contains natural amino acids and peptides means that it will not harm the environment. In addition, the molten mass of amino acids can be used to print materials of various shapes on a 3D printer. This makes it a potential substitute for commercially available and non-environmentally friendly glass and plastic.

Earlier, scientists brought back to life a "zombie virus" from permafrost that is about 48,500 years old.

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