Real Velcro, improving our grasp of bioengineering (Image: Eye of Science/SPL)
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IT鈥橲 not just for shoes. A technique inspired by Velcro can bind strips of cells together into complex tissues that could be turned into living bandages for the heart.
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To do this, heart cells are grown on meshes with tiny holes and hooks. Put the meshes in contact and they snag on to each other, so that tissue can be built up layer by layer. Over time, the mesh breaks down, leaving just the cells.
The developers of this Tissue-Velcro were able to create clumps of heart muscle that beat together in harmony (Science Advances, ).
This technique could be used to make patches for repairing the damage caused by heart attacks, or to repair wounds more seamlessly. 鈥淓ach case a surgeon is presented with is unique,鈥� says team member Miles Montgomery at the University of Toronto, Canada. 鈥淵ou could build this almost like designer tissue.鈥�
This article appeared in print under the headline 鈥淢end a broken heart with Velcro鈥�