Magnetic Nanoparticles to Staunch Internal Bleeding
Chemical engineers at ITMO University (St. Petersburg, Russia) have developed intravenously injected nanoparticles that can be moved to a bleeding site and staunch blood loss. “The particles consist of two key components. The first is thrombin, an enzyme responsible for blood clotting. It interacts with the protein called fibrinogen and triggers clot formation in order to block the damaged vessel. The thrombin is wrapped into a special porous matrix made of magnetite. This mineral is the second main ingredient and allows for precise control of the movement of particles inside the body using an external magnetic field. Magnetic nanoparticles with thrombin have low activity and do not cause blood clotting if they are evenly distributed in blood vessels. Therefore it is possible to inject a solution of particles intravenously and localize them where needed using a magnet. When the patient receives an extra portion of fibrinogen, thrombin particles around the site of injury interact with it and the bleeding stops faster.” MORE
Image Credit: E. M. Shabanova, Andrey S. Drozdov et al., ITMO University