MIT
Technology Review: The tissues of the heart possess a set
of properties that has been hard to reproduce in the lab. The
muscles are mechanically tough and electrically conductive, and
they maintain a constant rhythm of motion. Researchers have
been growing cardiac cells in various polymers and gels, but
the resulting materials don't have the same level of
conductivity or the ability to sustain continued movement. Ali
Khademhosseini, of the
HarvardâMIT
Division of Health Sciences and Technology in Cambridge,
Massachusetts, and his colleagues believe they've found a
solution: adding carbon nanotubes to their gels. The nanotubes
are conductive, and their fibrous nature gives the material a
great deal of mechanical strength and durability. Before the
material can be used for any sort of medical purposes, though,
the safety of the carbon nanotubes and of the material in
general would have to be demonstrated. But the material could
still find uses in biomechanical applications as parts of
robots used to explore areas that are toxic or dangerous to
humans.
