Alpha-TCP and Phosphorylated Amino Acid Soft Tissue Adhesive
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current tissue adhesives lack sufficient mechanical strength and are ineffective for soft tissue applications, failing to withstand shear forces and unable to adhere soft tissues effectively, with existing solutions either causing inflammatory responses or having high costs and long curing times.
Innovation Solution
An aqueous solution comprising alpha-TCP (alpha-tricalcium phosphate) and a phosphorylated amino acid, which provides unexpected high shear strength and rapid curing, suitable for adhering soft tissues to each other or to hard tissues and synthetic implants, with the composition's formulation allowing for adjustable curing times and improved handling properties.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Strength
If conventional tissue adhesives (cyanoacrylates, fibrin glues) are used, then adhesion is achieved, but mechanical strength is insufficient and they cannot withstand shear forces
Solution Approach 1:
The invention combines alpha-TCP particles with phosphorylated amino acid polymers to create a composite adhesive material. The alpha-TCP provides mechanical strength and structural support, while the phosphorylated amino acid polymer provides adhesion to soft tissues through phosphate group interactions with tissue proteins. This composite approach resolves the contradiction by achieving both high mechanical strength and effective soft tissue adhesion simultaneously.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention modifies the chemical composition parameters by using phosphorylated amino acids (such as phosphoserine, phosphothreonine, phosphotyrosine) instead of conventional adhesive polymers. The phosphate groups in these amino acids create strong ionic and hydrogen bonding interactions with calcium in alpha-TCP and with proteins in soft tissues, dramatically improving both adhesive strength and mechanical properties beyond conventional adhesives.
2Strength
If alpha-TCP is used in soft tissue applications, then high mechanical strength is achieved, but this was unexpected since alpha-TCP is typically used in hard tissue applications
Solution Approach 1:
The phosphorylated amino acid polymer acts as an intermediary between alpha-TCP and soft tissue. It bridges the hard mineral phase (alpha-TCP) and the soft biological tissue through its amphiphilic nature and phosphate group interactions, enabling alpha-TCP to provide mechanical strength in soft tissue applications where it would normally be ineffective.
Solution Approach 2:
The alpha-TCP based adhesive achieves multi-functionality by simultaneously providing mechanical strength (typically associated with hard tissue applications) and soft tissue adhesion. The formulation allows alpha-TCP to be adaptable to soft tissue applications through the mediating polymer, making it universally applicable across different tissue types.
3Strength
If existing adhesives are used, then some provide good adhesion, but they cause inflammatory response during degradation
Solution Approach 1:
The alpha-TCP based adhesive is designed as a biodegradable, transient material that provides strong adhesion temporarily during tissue healing, then degrades into harmless calcium and phosphate ions. This resolves the inflammatory issue by using a biocompatible degradation pathway compared to persistent synthetic adhesives.
Solution Approach 2:
The degradation of alpha-TCP releases calcium and phosphate ions that are beneficial for tissue regeneration and bone formation, converting what could be seen as a degradation process (potential source of inflammation) into a beneficial biological response that promotes healing.
4Reliability
If other adhesives are used, then biocompatibility is improved, but adhesive strength becomes low
Solution Approach 1:
The composite of alpha-TCP and phosphorylated amino acid polymer achieves both biocompatibility and high adhesive strength. The biocompatibility comes from the natural occurrence of calcium phosphate and amino acids in biological systems, while the strength comes from the strong ionic and hydrogen bonding interactions in the composite structure.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
The alpha-TCP and phosphorylated amino acid composition achieves high mechanical strength and rapid curing, effectively adhering soft tissues with shear strengths of at least 10 kPa, addressing the limitations of existing adhesives by providing a strong and biocompatible bond suitable for various tissue types and environments.
Implementation Method 1
an adhesive comprising a multivalent metal compound and a compound comprising a phosphoserine oligomer or a phosphoserine capped polymer
Data Source
AI summary
The present invention relates to a soft tissue adhesive comprising an aqueous composition comprising α-TCP and a phosphorylated amino acid. The composition has improved mechanical strength and is casily applied to the tissue.