The Use of Collagen in Medicine - Essay Example

? Rebuttal From the assessment report, it is sure that the assessors unanimously acknowledged the authenticity and the reality in the proposed research study, and this prompted their comments and approval of funding of the project. The report incorporated the views and comments of three distinct assessors who separately assessed the workability and implication of the research study project. They had a holistic approach to assessing the proposal through the financial viability, scientific authenticity, and contextual placement in comparison to other methods adopted for vascularization and for rapid bone regeneration, besides giving an overall opinion regarding the timeliness of the study project. They confirmed that the study project was particularly interesting, exciting and very important in the furtherance of knowledge concerning bone repair and regeneration. The project was seen to be easily translatable especially within the modern day society, which is characterized by an aging generation. Moreover, the significance of the study project is seen through its potential to improve the modern day medical practices. Besides, the CIs and the AIs have a long history of excellent records of accomplishment in extensive medical research domestically and internationally, which in turn ascertains the immense skills and technical expertise concerning research undertakings. If experience and skills are something to go for, this confirms that the collaboration of the two would result in reliable findings as pertains to rapid bone repair and vascularization. Moreover, their experience confirms their capacity to address potential barriers and point out potential strengths to be exploited for the purpose of efficiency and effectiveness in the research project. Despite the commendation of the project by the assessors in the above-mentioned dimensions, they voiced some concerns regarding the project technicalities and pointed out to various challenges that are likely to be met in the actual study and which needed to be addressed prior to commencing the actual project. In particular, the first assessor noted that the first aim was more to be a methodological approach than it was to be an experimental aim. The objective measurability in various experimental factors was not clear. He also noted the general lack of clarity in matters of time distribution for the experiments and testability in regards to the hypothesis formulated. The topic of regeneration of bones has been critical because the implications and the outcomes are applicable to a wide range of medical practices (Rivron et al., 2008). However, the field has received notable attention in research study formulations though with a gap, which is still visible between the research knowledge amassed and this specific approach to the theme. Basic among the visible gaps are the design and development of a scaffold, which would degrade at a physiologically relevant rate. This forms a critical objective of this project, which, if successful, would go a long way in providing relevant clinical solutions concerning the entire topic of vascularization and bone repair. It is, however, notable that the objective, as was put in the initial paper, fails to clarify the main objective in development of a framework model construct, which is applicable in explaining the physiological processes through a new scaffold model. It is, therefore, not intended to be a repetition of any previously modeled scaffold. This confirms that the main approach to this study is on an experimental basis as against the methodological approach, and from the postulated model, we already have commendable experience in the experimental field, and this would ascertain our competence. Besides the first aim, we have two other aims, which are independent from the first one. The measurable features that the project is working with include mechanical strength, porous structure, connective network and an ideal profile for degradation, which will match bone healing. Our scaffolds are dependent on the synthesis time and are aimed to take a span of one to two months. We shall measure degradation time with reference to that synthesis as recorded through our monitoring graph. We intend to use collagen for the sole reason that in bone remodeling, collagen forms the basic component of cartilage (Andrade, 1992). Moreover, the vascular basement membrane is normally composed of collagen besides the fact that collagen gels are routinely used in labs as a matrix to grow blood vessels. Through the in-vitro process, we have actualized the basic step in growing blood vessels in our scaffolds. Though we have not yet comprehensively defined the actual cell concentration, we have successfully checked and determined the binding and release kinetics of the various growth factors to be utilized for our experiments. Our assessment for potential inflammatory responses will not take into consideration the infiltration of the microphages but rather as part of evaluation of angiogenesis and ontogenesis. The histological and immune-histo-chemistry techniques we have used are hematoxylin-eosin (H&E), Masson’s trichrome, Gomori’s reticule, Von Kossa for iron methods and the streptavidin-biotin-peroxidase technique. The staining method of analysis such as was used in the figures alongside would be instrumental in detecting the macrophages. As regards the concern by the second assessor on the use of 8 mm wide holes, we hold to our experimental postulations that the 8 mm wide holes are the basic standards that would give a comprehensive conclusion through this experiment. This is because our literature review has not led us to such a conclusion that the 5 mm wide holes in the past revealed complete healing. We, therefore, reason that the 5 mm wide holes only serve as effective CSD as our review of literature has led us to conclude. Our consultant dental surgeon affirmed our perspective regarding the topic when he asserted that the suture of periosteum did not cause the failure of bone growth in defects without a scaffold graft. Despite our prior research, the concern of the assessor related to the effectiveness of the cellular model and scaffold that we adopted has stimulated our thoughts over further research into the matter. Moreover, the previously acquired in-vitro and in-vivo results were interesting in our preliminary result, which equally supports further evaluation and research into the matter. Having extensively evaluated the novelty of the existing scaffolds, our evaluation led to our discovery that many of these existing artificial scaffolds fail to meet the basic requirements of the testing scaffolds. The basic features to be taken into consideration while proposing a possible scaffold include the strength, ability to be degraded, connectivity, and the ability to be supportive to the cells. A bone scaffold should be mechanically strong and yet degradable, fully open/connective and yet supportive to cells. Our settling into the type of scaffold we chose was necessitated by the fact that it successfully met these requirements. The significance of the project, despite involving a combination of innovations and old procedures, has its immense contribution to the existing literature and medical findings. This, therefore, overlooks the potential of observers and analysts perceiving it as non-innovative. The possible outcomes through the project may go a long way in revolutionizing the entire field of medicine and associated practices. We thus conclude that it is right that we be funded not just for the sake of doing the project but also in consideration of the potential benefits that would accrue to the overall field of medicine regarding the processes adopted for bone regeneration and vascularization. Concerning the scientific quality of the project, the second assessor pointed out some incoherence in the hypothesis designed, the overall study design, and the feasibility of the project study. The competence in the provided information to support the postulations and suggestions of the study was equally a major point of concern to the second assessor. He pointed out the need for elaboration of how good the scaffold used by the CIs was while compared to the others that have been in use in other study projects. On the other hand, the third assessor had his concerns which revolved around the ability of the proposed project to realize the objectives and contribute to the existing knowledge concerning the theme of rapid bone regeneration and vascularization. References Andrade, Z. A. (1992). Morphological features of collagen degradation in advanced hepatic schistosomiasis of man. Mem. Inst. Oswaldo Cruz. Rio de Jeneiro, 87(4), 129–138. Rivron, N. C. et al. (2008). Engineering vascularised tissues in vitro. Engineering Vascularized Tissues in Vitro European Cells and Materials, 15, 27–40. Read More