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Regenerating Tissues exhibit

An exhibit that was part of the Nanotechnology: What's the Big Deal? exhibition that shows how nanomaterials are able to form tiny structures called nanoscaffolds that help the body repair damaged muscle, bone, and nerve tissues.

DESCRIPTION

Visitors see how nanomaterials are able to form tiny structures called nanoscaffolds that help the body repair damaged muscle, bone, and nerve tissues. In the interactive, an injured nerve is unable to communicate messages. After injecting nanoparticles, visitors can watch as the nerve endings grow back together, and sensory messages are once again able to reach the brain.

This exhibit was part of the Nanotechnology: What's the Big Deal? exhibition which toured the Arkansas Discovery Network beginning in 2010.

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  • Viewing the Regenerating Tissue exhibit from the left
  • Viewing the Regenerating Tissue exhibit from close up and at its center is a large prop magnifying glass
  • Viewing the Regenerating Tissue exhibit from the right
  • Viewing the Regenerating Tissue exhibit from the left
  • Viewing the Regenerating Tissue exhibit from close up and at its center is a large prop magnifying glass
  • Viewing the Regenerating Tissue exhibit from the right

DESCRIPTION

Visitors see how nanomaterials are able to form tiny structures called nanoscaffolds that help the body repair damaged muscle, bone, and nerve tissues. In the interactive, an injured nerve is unable to communicate messages. After injecting nanoparticles, visitors can watch as the nerve endings grow back together, and sensory messages are once again able to reach the brain.

This exhibit was part of the Nanotechnology: What's the Big Deal? exhibition which toured the Arkansas Discovery Network beginning in 2010.

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TRAINING VIDEOS

OBJECTIVES

BIG IDEA

Researchers are working on ways to repair tissues with nanotechnology.

LEARNING GOALS

  • Nerve tissue injuries are typically permanent because scar tissue prevents injured nerve cells from reconnecting.

  • Researchers have created a fluid that can be injected into an injured brain that self-assembles into a nanoscaffold that actually helps the brain heal.

  • The nanoscaffold enables neurons to grow towards one another, "knitting" the wounded brain back together.

NANO CONTENT MAP

Nanoscience, nanotechnology, and nanoengineering lead to new knowledge and innovations that weren't possible before.

Credits

YEAR CREATED
2008
OWNING INSTITUTION

OMSI

FUNDING

Developed for the NISE Network with funding from the National Science Foundation under Award Numbers 0532536 and 0940143. Any opinions, findings, and conclusions or recommendations expressed in this product are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect the views of the Foundation.

PERMISSIONS

Creative Commons Attribution Non-Commercial Share Alike 3.0 United States (CC BY-NC-SA 3.0 US).
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DEVELOPMENT PROCESS

NISE Network products are developed through an iterative collaborative process that includes scientific review, peer review, and visitor evaluation in accordance with an inclusive audiences approach. Products are designed to be easily edited and adapted for different audiences under a Creative Commons Attribution Non-Commercial Share Alike license. To learn more, visit our Development Process page.