Taking a cue from the human body’s own coagulation processes, researchers at UC Santa Barbara synthesize platelet-like nanoparticles that can do more than clot blood
Stanching the free flow of blood from an injury remains a holy grail of clinical medicine. Controlling blood flow is a primary concern and first line of defense for patients and medical staff in many situations, from traumatic injury to illness to surgery. If control is not established within the first few minutes of a hemorrhage, further treatment and healing are impossible.
At UC Santa Barbara, researchers in the Department of Chemical Engineering and at Center for Bioengineering (CBE) have turned to the human body’s own mechanisms for inspiration in dealing with the necessary and complicated process of coagulation. By creating nanoparticles that mimic the shape, flexibility and surface biology of the body’s own platelets, they are able to accelerate natural healing processes while opening the door to therapies and treatments that can be customized to specific patient needs.
“This is a significant milestone in the development of synthetic platelets, as well as in targeted drug delivery,” said Samir Mitragotri, CBE director, who specializes in targeted therapy technologies. Results of the researchers’ findings appear in the current issue of the journal ACS Nano.
The process of coagulation is familiar to anyone who has suffered even the most minor of injuries, such as a scrape or paper cut. Blood rushes to the site of the injury, and within minutes the flow stops as a plug forms at the site. The tissue beneath and around the plug works to knit itself back together and eventually the plug disappears.
But what we don’t see is the coagulation cascade, the series of signals and other factors that promote the clotting of blood and enable the transition between a free-flowing fluid at the site and a viscous substance that brings healing factors to the injury. Coagulation is actually a choreography of various substances, among the most important of which are platelets, the blood component that accumulates at the site of the wound to form the initial plug.
“While these platelets flow in our blood, they’re relatively inert,” said graduate student researcher Aaron Anselmo, lead author of the paper. As soon as an injury occurs, however, the platelets, because of the physics of their shape and their response to chemical stimuli, move from the main flow to the side of the blood vessel wall and congregate, binding to the site of the injury and to each other. As they do so, the platelets release chemicals that “call” other platelets to the site, eventually plugging the wound.
But what happens when the injury is too severe, or the patient is on anti-coagulation medication, or is otherwise impaired in his or her ability to form a clot, even for a modest or minor injury?
The Latest on: Bleeding control
via Google News
The Latest on: Bleeding control
- Breakthrough Bleeding: Why It Happens, and When to Talk to Your Doctoron August 4, 2022 at 12:15 pm
Breakthrough bleeding is vaginal bleeding occurring outside of your normal cycle. It can be caused by birth control, cysts, stress, and more, doctors say.
- Energy companies are bleeding British families dry. Here’s how to fix iton August 4, 2022 at 5:52 am
Taking back governmental control would be a long-term solution to a broken system, says Guardian columnist Owen Jones ...
- Police officer shoots, kills dog to stop attack at Lunenburg Animal Control facilityon August 2, 2022 at 3:47 am
Authorities said the dog had bitten the victim several times, latched on to the victim and did not release. An officer had to shoot the dog to free the victim who was attacked inside a ...
- Bleeding IIOJK – A dark dimension of historyon August 2, 2022 at 3:35 am
Plagued by Indian thralldom, the history of bleeding, screaming and subjugated populace of the Illegally IIOJK is a big scar on the face of self-acclaimed human rights champions of the world ...
- MC Insider: Tata to secrecy, NBFC outlier, stock spotlight, bleeding bonds, vaccine snub, media dilemma and moreon August 1, 2022 at 6:56 pm
NBFC stocks are not quite the rage at this point in time, but this one sure is on fire, having almost doubled in value over the last three weeks. Low liquidity is one of the factors driving the ...
- What Is Breakthrough Bleeding and Why Exactly Does It Happen?on August 1, 2022 at 9:00 am
Breakthrough bleeding is any type of bleeding between periods. It can range from a few drops of blood that fill up your entire pad or tampon. People with female reproductive organs can experience ...
- Vulnerable Scots woman left bleeding on street after being mauled by German Shepherdon July 29, 2022 at 7:30 pm
Stephanie McGeough, who suffers from Addison's Disease, has been left with permanent scarring and tendon damage in her arm and claims the dog's owner ignored her cries for help.
- Man Hospitalised With Rare Eye Bleeding Virus That Kills Up To One In Three Patientson July 25, 2022 at 11:38 am
A man in Spain has been diagnosed with Crimean-Congo haemorrhagic fever (CCHF), which kills one in three people afflicted with it.
- This deadly virus causes eye bleeding and kills up to a third of all its victimson July 25, 2022 at 10:53 am
A man in Spain has been diagnosed and hospitalised with Crimean-Congo haemorrhagic fever (CCHF) after being bitten by a tick, reports The Sun. The virus is reported to be deadly and makes its victims ...
- Deadly eye-bleeding virus with 30% mortality rate reaches Europeon July 25, 2022 at 8:25 am
A patient may also suffer with joint pain, jaundice, mood swings, and red eyes in the early phase Read more: Met Office issues update on possible August UK heatwave as 'near normal' weather predicted ...
via Bing News