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: (284 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.
Type of Study: Letter to editor |
Subject:
General
References
1. Qin Y, Jing Z, Zou D, Wang Y, Yang H, Chen K, et al. A metamaterial scaffold beyond modulus limits: enhanced osteogenesis and angiogenesis of critical bone defects. Nat Commun. 2025;16(1):2180. [DOI:10.1038/s41467-025-57609-9] [PMID] []
2. Zhang X-Y, Fang G, Zhou J. Additively manufactured scaffolds for bone tissue engineering and the prediction of their mechanical behavior: A review. Materials. 2017;10(1):50. [DOI:10.3390/ma10010050] [PMID] []
3. Bakhtiari H, Nouri A, Khakbiz M, Tolouei-Rad M. Fatigue behaviour of load-bearing polymeric bone scaffolds: a review. Acta Biomater. 2023;172:16-37. [DOI:10.1016/j.actbio.2023.09.048] [PMID]
4. Gandhi R, Salmi M, Roy B, Paglari L, Concli F. Mechanical performance, fatigue behaviour, and biointegration of additively manufactured architected lattices. Virtual Phys Prototyp. 2025;20(1):e2530733. [DOI:10.1080/17452759.2025.2530733]
5. Li Y, Yi P, Zou Z, Lu F, Zhang X, Zhang J. Finite element model with realistic bone geometries for the optimal design of internal fixation during the fibula healing process. Proceedings of the Institution of Mechanical Engineers, Part H: Journal of Engineering in Medicine. 2024;238(2):207-18. [DOI:10.1177/09544119231221193] [PMID]
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