Volume 36, Issue 2 (6-2025)
Studies in Medical Sciences 2025, 36(2): 94-95 |
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Karatas E. Revisiting Scaffold Design Paradigms: From Modulus Matching to Strain Optimization. Studies in Medical Sciences 2025; 36 (2) :94-95
URL: http://umj.umsu.ac.ir/article-1-6481-en.html
URL: http://umj.umsu.ac.ir/article-1-6481-en.html
Erzurum Technical University, Erzurum 25100, Turkiye , erkan.karatas@erzurum.edu.tr
Abstract: (13 Views)
Dear Editor
I read with great interest the recent article by Qin et al. introducing a two-stage metamaterial scaffold (TMS) that decouples strength and modulus, achieving an effective stiffness of only 13 MPa while retaining sufficient load-bearing capacity.[1] By enabling >2 % callus strain in vivo, the TMS activated mechanosensitive calcium channels and HIF-1α signaling, thereby enhancing both osteogenesis and angiogenesis. This work challenges the conventional “modulus-matching” paradigm by highlighting mechanical strain as a key driver of bone regeneration.
While the compressive behavior of the TMS is well-characterized, two critical aspects require further clarification. First, many skeletal sites are subject to complex tensile and shear forces, which bone scaffolds must withstand to maintain functionality in physiological conditions; however, the performance of TMS under such loading modes remains unexplored.[2] Second, long-term in vivo studies are essential to evaluate fatigue resistance, remodeling dynamics, and potential late-stage stress shielding.[3] Previous reports have shown that functionally graded designs can improve fatigue life by up to 30%.[4] In addition, patient-specific finite element (FE) modeling could further optimize strain-targeted scaffold designs by predicting callus strain distribution under realistic physiological loading, as demonstrated in fibular healing studies where case-specific FE models incorporating anatomical geometry significantly improved the accuracy of strain and stress distribution predictions.[5]
By addressing these points, the TMS approach could be better positioned for translational success. Overall, this study represents a significant step toward strain-optimized scaffold design and provides a valuable foundation for next-generation orthopedic implants.
I read with great interest the recent article by Qin et al. introducing a two-stage metamaterial scaffold (TMS) that decouples strength and modulus, achieving an effective stiffness of only 13 MPa while retaining sufficient load-bearing capacity.[1] By enabling >2 % callus strain in vivo, the TMS activated mechanosensitive calcium channels and HIF-1α signaling, thereby enhancing both osteogenesis and angiogenesis. This work challenges the conventional “modulus-matching” paradigm by highlighting mechanical strain as a key driver of bone regeneration.
While the compressive behavior of the TMS is well-characterized, two critical aspects require further clarification. First, many skeletal sites are subject to complex tensile and shear forces, which bone scaffolds must withstand to maintain functionality in physiological conditions; however, the performance of TMS under such loading modes remains unexplored.[2] Second, long-term in vivo studies are essential to evaluate fatigue resistance, remodeling dynamics, and potential late-stage stress shielding.[3] Previous reports have shown that functionally graded designs can improve fatigue life by up to 30%.[4] In addition, patient-specific finite element (FE) modeling could further optimize strain-targeted scaffold designs by predicting callus strain distribution under realistic physiological loading, as demonstrated in fibular healing studies where case-specific FE models incorporating anatomical geometry significantly improved the accuracy of strain and stress distribution predictions.[5]
By addressing these points, the TMS approach could be better positioned for translational success. Overall, this study represents a significant step toward strain-optimized scaffold design and provides a valuable foundation for next-generation orthopedic implants.
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