Bioplastic Glue Hold Tissue Together

Dec-02-16 A new bioplastic ‘glue’ made of crustacean and insect shells could open the door to a new way to patch wounds or secure medical implants.

Developed by a team from Wyss University, the glue was created by combining the chitin-based bioplastic material, called Shrilk, with transglutaminase—a protein-binding enzyme used in food processing to help hold meats together. The result was a bio-friendly binder able to glue tissues together. The material can be used as a sheet, spray or foam (to fill more severe wounds and stabilize the patient), and could also be used to hold biomedical devices in place.

Image Credit: Wyss Institute at Harvard University - Chitosan foam bonded to a one-centimeter-long defect in explanted porcine muscle.

More Info about this Invention:

[NEWATLAS.COM]
[WYSS.HARVARD.EDU]

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