New scaffold drives 185% increase in bone repair effectiveness

Researchers at Penn State have developed a new biodegradable scaffold implant, CitraBoneQMg, that significantly enhances bone regrowth, showing a 185% increase in effectiveness compared to traditional bone implants in rat studies. The scaffold combines magnesium and glutamine with citric acid, which together stimulate intracellular energy metabolism in stem cells, promoting their differentiation into bone cells. This synergy between the molecules activates key cellular energy pathways (AMPK and mTORC1) simultaneously, unlike previous materials where these pathways acted inversely, resulting in faster and stronger bone regeneration. Beyond accelerating bone repair, CitraBoneQMg also demonstrated additional healing benefits such as nerve regeneration and anti-inflammatory effects at the injury site, which are crucial for long-term recovery. The scaffold delivers these molecules directly to the injury, ensuring high local concentrations that oral supplements cannot achieve. Furthermore, the implant possesses photoluminescent and photoacoustic properties, enabling non-invasive in vivo tracking via ultrasound. The research team, collaborating with orthopedic surgeons,