26 / 2016-09-20 11:05:24

Implantable Self-Powered Low-Level Laser Cure System for Mouse Embryonic Osteoblasts’ Proliferation and Differentiation

Bone remodeling or orthodontic treatment is usually a long-term process.1 Currently, it is accepted that low-level laser therapy has a positive effect on the speed and quality of this process,2 possibly because the laser’s energy corresponds with the characteristic energy and absorption levels of the respiratory chain in mitochondria. Thus, it enhances the vitality actions of cells, and accelerates regeneration of the damaged tissues. To facilitate the applications of this technology, an attachable or implantable laser cure system is demanded. However, a normal battery would not work in this scenario since it is either too big in volume or uncomfortable for the patients.
Recently, the invention of triboelectric nanogenerator (TENG) has provided an effective approach to convert ambient mechanical energy into electricity.3,4 The working principle of the TENG is based on the combination of contact electrification and electrostatic induction. It has been systematically studied to drive hundreds of light emitting diodes (LEDs),5 or charging a lithium-ion battery17 for powering some electronic devices. The TENG has been employed to collect energy from the mouse’s breathing to power a pacemaker.6
In this paper, a self-powered low-level laser cure (SPLC) system for osteogenesis was developed, which significantly accelerated the mouse embryonic osteoblasts’ proliferation and differentiation. Moreover, it was found that the system could also work under the driving of a living creature’s motions, such as human walking, or mouse’s breathing. This work shows a great progress not only for TENGs’ applications in portable or implantable medical devices, but also for clinical therapy of bone remodeling and orthodontic treatment.