Craniosynostosis is the premature fusion of cranial bones that develops due to premature loss of stem/progenitor cells located in non-mineralized suture tissue between growing cranial bones of infants and children. Recent evidence demonstrates polymer scaffolds with pores of sufficiently small size ( <125 um) control cell fate and maintain stemness. We developed and tested scaffolds to maintain stemness of a cranial cell population in vitro and in vivo, with an ultimate goal of preventing suture re-fusion that is found primarily in syndromic craniosynostosis patients.
Learning Objectives:
After this session, attendees will be able to:
Discuss the therapeutic application of biomaterials for craniofacial conditions such as craniosynostosis.
Detail the biomaterial and surgical experimental approach utilized in this study to analyze the efficacy of porous biomaterials in the cranium.
Present experimental outcomes, study design limitations, and identify future study directions.
