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Axonal growth is heavily influenced by topography and biophysical stimuli including magnetic and electrical fields. Despite extensive investigation, the degree of influence and the underlying genetic mechanisms remain poorly understood. Here, a novel approach to guide neurite growth is undertaken using an innovative ferromagnetic composite material - glass-coated magnetic microwire - to furnish a synergistic combination of magnetic and topographical cues. Whole rat dorsal root ganglia (DRG) are cultured under five different conditions: control, static magnetic field, magnetic microwire, static magnetic field + glass fiber, and static magnetic field + magnetic microwire. DRG outgrowth responses under each condition, including total neurite outgrowth and directionality, are compared. The combination of both magnetic stimulation and topography significantly increases total neurite outgrowth compared to the controls. The combination of magnetic stimulation and magnetic microwire lead to a strong directional bias of growth along the microwire, double what is observed with the glass fiber. Next generation RNA sequencing of DRG exposed to static magnetic field + magnetic microwire reveals the downregulation of genes relating to the immune response, interleukin signaling, and signal transduction. These results set the stage for contemplating future biophysical stimulation for axonal guidance and improved understanding of material-tissue interactions., (© 2024 The Author(s). Advanced Healthcare Materials published by Wiley‐VCH GmbH.)

The treatment of complex or chronic skin wounds caused by burns, trauma, surgery, and genetic disorders has been a worldwide challenge. Small intestinal submucosa (SIS) is a biological material that is widely used in wound healing. How to further expand the wound healing application of SIS, especially in repairing infected wounds, remains a hot research topic for many tissue engineering and biomaterial scholars focusing on skin regeneration. This study uses nanometal-organic frameworks (nano-MOFs), which have not been applied to modify the SIS membrane before, to construct multifunctional dual nano-MOFs @ SIS membrane (dnMOF@SISm). Nano-MOFs are functionalized onto the nanofiber of SIS via in situ self-assembly under mild reaction conditions without any toxic reagent or complex instruments. The dnMOF@SISm can release Co 2+ , Zn 2+ , and bioactive factors, participating in the whole stage of the repair of infected wounds. In vitro , it can regulate the biological activities of various functional cells such as fibroblasts, endothelial cells, and macrophages and shows good antibacterial ability. In the infected full-thickness skin defect rat model, dnMOF@SISm can release metal ions and ligands, killing pathogenic bacteria colonized on the wound surface at the first stage, and then trigger and accelerate the skin repair process via angiogenesis, immune regulation, and collagen deposition. Above all, an efficient, nontoxic, mild self-assembly strategy realizes the functionalization of dual nano-MOFs on the nanofiber of SIS to expand its clinical application scenarios, especially in infected wounds.

Modification of g-C 3 N 4 with metal-free biomaterials through an environmentally friendly, low-energy, facile, and rapid single-step method is desired for the preparation of photocatalysts with efficient activity and high selectivity of CO 2 reduction but remains a great challenge. Herein, we develop a phase-transitioned protein modification strategy for photocatalysts through superfast amyloid-like protein assembly on surfaces using a one-step sequential coating method. Metal-free carbon nitride/protein heterojunction composite photocatalysts (the phase-transitioned lysozyme (PTL), phase-transitioned bovine serum albumin (PTB), and phase-transitioned ovalbumin (PTO)-coated carbon nitride@SiO 2 (CN@SiO 2 ) and bioinspired carbon nitride hollow nanospheres (CN-HS) obtained by etching of CN@SiO 2 ) are prepared using lysozyme, bovine serum albumin, and ovalbumin. The insulator-semiconductor heterojunctions formed at the protein-carbon nitride interface promote the migration and separation of photogenerated charges. The exposed hydrophobic alkyl and aryl groups of the surface-modified protein enable the formation of a CO 2 -aqueous solution-photocatalyst three-phase interface on the catalyst surface and the exposed -NH 2 groups provide sites for CO 2 adsorption, which effectively increases CO 2 mass transfer and its adsorption as well as hydrophobicity, promoting CO 2 reduction and inhibiting hydrogen production. Therefore, protein modification effectively improves the CO 2 reduction activity and CO selectivity. For instance, compared to CN-HS, the CO yield of the PTL-modified CN-HS (1346.5 μmol g -1 ) increased by 24.5 times and the CO selectivity reached 90.5%. These findings represent a critical advancement in the surface modification of carbon nitride for CO 2 reduction and the design of bioinspired materials for various applications.

Surface modification of materials with proteins has various biological applications, and hence the methodology for surface modification needs to accommodate a wide range of proteins that differ in structure, size, and function. Presented here is a methodology that uses the Affinity Bioorthogonal Chemistry (ABC) tag, 3-(2-pyridyl)-6-methyltetrazine (PyTz), for the site-selective modification and purification of proteins and subsequent attachment of the protein to trans -cyclooctene (TCO)-functionalized hydrogel microfibers. This method of surface modification is shown to maintain the functionality of the protein after conjugation with proteins of varying size and functionalities, namely, HaloTag, NanoLuc luciferase (NanoLuc), and fibronectin type III domains 9-10 (FNIII 9-10). The method also supports surface modification with multiple proteins, which is shown by the simultaneous conjugation of HaloTag and NanoLuc on the microfiber surface. The ability to control the relative concentrations of multiple proteins presented on the surface is shown with the use of HaloTag and superfolder GFP (sfGFP). This application of the ABC-tagging methodology expands on existing surface modification methods and provides flexibility in the site-selective protein conjugation methods used along with the rapid kinetics of tetrazine ligation.

In the present study, we focused on the development and characterization of formulations that function as biological inks. These inks were doped with coumarin derivatives to act as molecular luminescent sensors that allow the monitoring of the kinetics of in situ photopolymerization in 3D (DLP) printing and bioprinting using pneumatic extrusion techniques, making it possible to study the changes in the system in real time. The efficiency of the systems was tested on compositions containing monomers: poly(ethylene glycol) diacrylates and photoinitiators: 2,4,6-trimethylbenzoyldi-phenylphosphinate and lithium phenyl-2,4,6-trimethylbenzoylphosphinate. The selected formulations were spectroscopically characterized and examined for their photopolymerization kinetics and rheological properties. This is important because of the fact that spectroscopic characterization, examination of photopolymerization kinetics, and rheological properties provide valuable insights into the behaviour of photocurable resin dedicated for 3D printing processes. The next step involved printing tests on commercially available 3D printers. In turn, printing carried out as part of the work on commercially available 3D printers further verified the effectiveness of the formulations. Moreover the formulation components and the resulting 3D objects were tested for their antiproliferative effects on the selected Chinese hamster ovary cell line, CHO-K1., Competing Interests: Declaration of Competing Interest The authors declare the following financial interests/personal relationships which may be considered as potential competing interests:Joanna Ortyl reports financial support was provided by National Science Centre Poland. If there are other authors, they declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper, (Copyright © 2024 The Authors. Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

Wound healing is a complex biological process that involves several stages, including hemostasis, inflammation, proliferation, and remodeling. Traditional wound dressings, to a certain extent, can provide wound protection but are limited in promoting wound healing, reducing scar formation, and preventing bacterial infections. In recent years, with the advancement of research in biomedical materials, fish skin dressings have become a research hotspot in the field of tissue regeneration due to their remarkable biocompatibility and precious bioactive components. However, current research on fish skin dressings remains focused on clinical treatment. To further deepen and promote the development of fish skin dressings, we put emphasis on discussing main bioactive components in fish skin. This article has reviewed the advantages of fish skin dressings in wound regeneration, especially the promotive effects of its main bioactive components-Omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids, collagen derived from fish skin, and the extracellular matrix of fish skin-on the wound healing process. Besides, by critically summarizing the research issues of each bioactive component, this review assists researchers in better defining the next direction of research, thereby designing the optimal dressing for different types of wounds., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2024 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

The mechanical function of the myocardium is defined by cardiomyocyte contractility and the biomechanics of the extracellular matrix (ECM). Understanding this relationship remains an important unmet challenge due to limitations in existing approaches for engineering myocardial tissue. Here, they established arrays of cardiac microtissues with tunable mechanics and architecture by integrating ECM-mimetic synthetic, fiber matrices, and induced pluripotent stem cell-derived cardiomyocytes (iPSC-CMs), enabling real-time contractility readouts, in-depth structural assessment, and tissue-specific computational modeling. They found that the stiffness and alignment of matrix fibers distinctly affect the structural development and contractile function of pure iPSC-CM tissues. Further examination into the impact of fibrous matrix stiffness enabled by computational models and quantitative immunofluorescence implicates cell-ECM interactions in myofibril assembly, myofibril maturation, and notably costamere assembly, which correlates with improved contractile function of tissues. These results highlight how iPSC-CM tissue models with controllable architecture and mechanics can elucidate mechanisms of tissue maturation and disease., (© 2024 The Author(s). Advanced Science published by Wiley‐VCH GmbH.)

Tissue engineering provides a path forward for emerging personalized medicine therapies as well as the ability to bring about cures for diseases or chronic injuries. Traumatic spinal cord injuries (SCIs) are an example of a chronic injury in which no cure or complete functional recovery treatment has been developed. In part, this has been due to the complex and interconnected nature of the central nervous system (CNS), the cellular makeup, its extracellular matrix (ECM), and the injury site pathophysiology. One way to combat the complex nature of an SCI has been to create functional tissue-engineered scaffolds that replace or replenish the aspects of the CNS and tissue/ECM that are damaged following the immediate injury and subsequent immune response. This can be achieved by employing the tissue-engineering triad consisting of cells, biomaterial(s), and environmental factors. Stem cells, with their innate ability to proliferate and differentiate, are a common choice for cellular therapies. Natural or synthetic biomaterials that have tunable characteristics are normally used as the scaffold base. Environmental factors can range from drugs to growth factors (GFs) or proteins, depending on if the idea would be to stimulate exogeneous or endogenous cell populations or just simply retain cells on the scaffold for effective transplantation. For functional regeneration and integration for SCI, the scaffold must promote neuroprotection and neuroplasticity. Tissue-engineering strategies have shown benefits including neuronal differentiation, axonal regeneration, axonal outgrowth, integration into the native spinal cord, and partial functional recovery. Overall, this review focuses on the background that causes SCI to be so difficult to treat, the individual components of the tissue-engineering triad, and how combinatorial scaffolds can be beneficial toward the prospects of future SCI recovery.

Injectable hydrogels are a sub-type of hydrogels which can be delivered into the host in a minimally invasive manner. They can act as carriers to encapsulate and deliver cells, drugs or active biomolecules across several disease conditions. Polymers, either synthetic or natural, or even a combination of the two, can be used to create injectable hydrogels. Clinically approved injectable hydrogels are being used as dressings for burn wounds, bone and cartilage reconstruction. Injectable hydrogels have recently gained tremendous attention for their delivery into the liver in pre-clinical models. However, their efficacy in clinical studies remains yet to be established. In this article, we describe principles for the design of these injectable hydrogels, delivery strategies and their potential applications in facilitating liver regeneration and ameliorating injury. We also discuss the several constraints related to translation of these hydrogels into clinical settings for liver diseases and deliberate some potential solutions to combat these challenges., (© 2024 Wiley‐VCH GmbH.)

Hydroxyapatite (HA) granules are frequently used in orthopedics and maxillofacial surgeries to fill bone defects and stimulate the regeneration process. Optimal HA granules should have high biocompatibility, high microporosity and/or mesoporosity, and high specific surface area (SSA), which are essential for their bioabsorbability, high bioactivity (ability to form apatite layer on their surfaces) and good osseointegration with the host tissue. Commercially available HA granules that are sintered at high temperatures (≥ 900 °C) are biocompatible but show low porosity and SSA (2-5 m 2 /g), reduced bioactivity, poor solubility and thereby, low bioabsorbability. HA granules of high microporosity and SSA can be produced by applying low sintering temperatures (below 900 °C). Nevertheless, although HA sintered at low temperatures shows significantly higher SSA (10-60 m 2 /g) and improved bioabsorbability, it also exhibits high ion reactivity and cytotoxicity under in vitro conditions. The latter is due to the presence of reaction by-products. Thus, the aim of this study was to fabricate novel biomaterials in the form of granules, composed of hydroxyapatite nanopowder sintered at a high temperature (1100 °C) and a biopolymer matrix: chitosan/agarose or chitosan/β-1,3-glucan (curdlan). It was hypothesized that appropriately selected ingredients would ensure high biocompatibility and microstructural properties comparable to HA sintered at low temperatures. Synthesized granules were subjected to the evaluation of their biological, microstructural, physicochemical, and mechanical properties. The obtained results showed that the developed nanocomposite granules were characterized by a lack of cytotoxicity towards both mouse preosteoblasts and normal human fetal osteoblasts, and supported cell adhesion to their surface. Moreover, produced biomaterials had the ability to induce precipitation of apatite crystals after immersion in simulated body fluid, which, combined with high biocompatibility, should ensure good osseointegration after implantation. Additionally, nanocomposite granules possessed microstructural parameters similar to HA sintered at a low temperature (porosity approx. 50%, SSA approx. 30 m²/g), Young's modulus (5-8 GPa) comparable to cancellous bone, and high fluid absorption capacity. Moreover, the nanocomposites were prone to biodegradation under the influence of enzymatic solution and in an acidic environment. Additionally, it was noted that the hydroxyapatite nanoparticles remaining after the physicochemical dissolution of the biomaterial were easily phagocytosed by mouse macrophages, mouse preosteoblasts, and normal human fetal osteoblasts (in vitro studies). The obtained materials show great potential as bone tissue implantation biomaterials with improved bioresorbability. The obtained materials show great potential as bone tissue implantation biomaterials with improved bioresorbability., Competing Interests: Declarations Competing interests The authors declare no competing interests. Ethics approval and consent to participate Informed consent was obtained from the volunteer to use his/her blood in the research and the study adhered to the tenets of the Declaration of Helsinki. Approval from the Bioethics Committee of the Medical University of Lublin for the use of human whole blood, plasma, and their components was obtained (no. KE-0254/187/10/2022, 06 Oct 2022)., (© 2024. The Author(s).)

Inspired by the properties of natural protein-based biomaterials, protein nanomaterials are increasingly designed with natural or engineered peptides or with protein building blocks. Few examples describe the design of functional protein-based materials for biotechnological applications that can be readily manufactured, are amenable to functionalization, and exhibit robust assembly properties for macroscale material formation. Here, we designed a protein-scaffolding system that self-assembles into robust, macroscale materials suitable for in vitro cell-free applications. By controlling the coexpression in Escherichia coli of self-assembling scaffold building blocks with and without modifications for covalent attachment of cross-linking cargo proteins, hybrid scaffolds with spatially organized conjugation sites are overproduced that can be readily isolated. Cargo proteins, including enzymes, are rapidly cross-linked onto scaffolds for the formation of functional materials. We show that these materials can be used for the in vitro operation of a coimmobilized two-enzyme reaction and that the protein material can be recovered and reused. We believe that this work will provide a versatile platform for the design and scalable production of functional materials with customizable properties and the robustness required for biotechnological applications.

Burns are common traumatic injuries affecting many people worldwide. Development of specialized burn units, advances in acute care modalities, and burn prevention programs have successfully reduced the mortality rate of severe burns. Autologous skin grafting has been considered as the gold standard for wound coverage after the removal of burned skin. For full-thickness burns of a larger scale, however, the autograft donor site may be quickly exhausted, so that alternative skin coverage is necessary. Although rapid progress has been made in the development of skin substitutes for burn wounds during the last decade, no skin substitute has fulfilled the criteria as a perfect replacement for the damaged skin. Extracellular matrix (ECM) derived components have emerged as a source for the engineering of biomaterials capable of inducing desirable cell-specific responses and one of the most promising biomaterials for burn wound healing. Among these, acellular dermal matrix, small intestinal submucosa, and amniotic membrane have been applied to treat burn wounds with acceptable outcomes. This review has explored the use of biomaterials derived from naturally occurring ECM and their derivatives for approaches aiming to promote burn wound healing, and summarized the ECM-based wound dressings products applicable in burn wound and postburn scar contracture to date., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2024. Published by Elsevier B.V.)

In tissue extracellular matrix (ECM), multiple growth factors (GFs) are sequestered through affinity interactions and released as needed by proteases, establishing spatial morphogen gradients in a time-controlled manner to guide cell behavior. Inspired by these ECM characteristics, we developed an "intelligent" biomaterial platform that spatially controls the combined bioavailability of multiple angiogenic GFs, specifically vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) and platelet-derived growth factor (PDGF-BB). Utilizing aptamer affinity interactions and complementary sequences within a GelMA matrix, our platform achieves on-demand, triggered release of individual GFs which can be "programmed" in temporally-controlled, repeatable cycles. The platform features stable incorporation of dual aptamers specific for both GFs, functional aptamer-CS molecular recognition in a 3D microenvironment with long-term stability of at least 15 days at physiological temperature, and spatially localized sequestration of individual GFs. Additionally, the system allows differential amounts of GFs to be released from the same hydrogels at different time-points, mimicking dynamic GF presentation in a 3D matrix similar to the native ECM. This flexible control over individual GF release kinetics opens new possibilities for dynamic GF presentation, with adjustable release profiles to meet the spatiotemporal needs of growing engineered tissue., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare no competing interests., (Copyright © 2024 The Author(s). Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

Covalent organic frameworks (COFs) have emerged as a distinguished class of porous materials. Owing to their ability to be constructed through covalent bonds involving light elements, such as hydrogen, boron, carbon, nitrogen, and oxygen, COFs offer greater stability and lower cytotoxicity than metal organic frameworks do, addressing critical limitations in in vivo applications. Their unique attributes, such as high surface area, customizable pore sizes, and versatile surface functionalities, make them ideal for various biomedical applications. This review aims to provide an overview of the recent advancements in modern COFs for biomedical uses. First, a variety of methods for the synthesis of COFs are outlined, which ensures their suitability for medical use. Next, we delve into innovative biomedical applications, emphasizing their role in disease diagnostics and therapies. Finally, challenges, such as clinical translation, biocompatibility, and controlled drug release, are critically discussed, providing comprehensive insight into the potential of COFs in revolutionizing biomedical technologies. Overall, this review offers a comprehensive overview of COFs' capabilities and future prospects in enhancing biomedical technologies., (© 2024 Wiley‐VCH GmbH.)

The structural evolution of hierarchical structures of nanoscale biomolecules is crucial for the construction of functional networks in vivo and in vitro. Despite the ubiquity of these networks, the physical mechanisms behind their formation and self-assembly remains poorly understood. Here, this study uses photochemically cross-linked folded protein hydrogels as a model biopolymer network system, with a combined time-resolved rheology and small-angle x-ray scattering (SAXS) approach to probe both the load-bearing structures and network architectures respectively thereby providing a cross-length scale understanding of the network formation. Combining SAXS, rheology, and kinetic modeling, a dual formation mechanism consisting of a primary formation phase is proposed, where monomeric folded proteins create the preliminary protein network scaffold; and a subsequent secondary formation phase, where both additional intra-network cross-links form and larger oligomers diffuse to join the preliminary network, leading to a denser more mechanically robust structure. Identifying this as the origin of the structural and mechanical properties of protein networks creates future opportunities to understand hierarchical biomechanics in vivo and develop functional, designed-for-purpose, biomaterials., (© 2024 The Author(s). Small published by Wiley‐VCH GmbH.)

This comprehensive review meticulously categorizes and discusses the applications of diverse biomaterials, specifically natural and nature-inspired synthetic materials in metal halide perovskite optoelectronics. Applications range from solar cells to light-emitting diodes, photodetectors, and X-ray detectors. Emphasis is placed on the intricate interactions between bio-additives and perovskite crystals, highlighting their influence on the grain size, crystal orientation, grain boundaries, and surface passivation. This review also explores the advantages and disadvantages of each natural or nature-inspired material and their unique properties compared with conventional additives. Special attention is given to the mechanistic and functional viewpoints, showing how these biomaterials enhance device performance. Through additive engineering with ecofriendly biomaterials, defects in metal halide perovskite thin films can be effectively passivated, thus extending the photostability or in some cases mechanical flexibility of devices. This review provides valuable insights for selecting and designing next-generation biomaterial additives, offering new prospects for achieving high-performance perovskite layers and advancing the field of peorvskite- based optoelectronics., (© 2024 Wiley‐VCH GmbH.)

Trends in health care delivery systems have shifted as a result of the modern uses of biomaterials in medicine. Contrary to traditional medicine, modern healthcare are now useful in solving problems that were considered impossible some years back. One of the most significant factors to the most recent advancements in implant development has been the use of calcium based materials in the creation of necessary implants in the form of soft and hard tissues. With the advent of naturally sourced materials in the manufacturing of biomaterials, lots of attention are now focused on the different sources of agro-based resources that can be used for the product developments. These agro-based materials are now been considered for sustainable and ecological purposes in several areas of applications globally in the recent times. Hence, the review was carried out with focus on the sources, relevance, processing techniques and applications of tricalcium phosphate based biomaterials in modern day healthcare delivery. This review provides a historical and prospective picture of the crucial functions that materials based on tricalcium phosphate will play in fulfilling human requirements for medication., Competing Interests: The author(s) declared no potential conflicts of interest with respect to the research, authorship, and/or publication of this article., (© The Author(s) 2024.)

In recent years, the exploration of sustainable alternatives in the field of bone tissue engineering has led researchers to focus on marine waste byproducts as a valuable resource. These marine resources, often overlooked remnants of various industries, exhibit a rich composition of hydroxyapatite, collagen, calcium carbonate, and other minerals essential to the complex framework of bone structure. Marine waste by-products can emit gases such as methane and carbon dioxide, highlighting the urgency to repurpose these materials for innovative tissue regeneration solutions, offering a sustainable approach to address environmental challenges while advancing medical science. Using these discarded materials offers a promising pathway for sustainable development in regenerative medicine. This review investigates the distinctive properties of marine waste byproducts, emphasizing their capacity to be recycled effectively to contribute to the rebuilding of bone and cartilage tissue during regeneration processes. We also highlight the compatibility of these resources with biological materials such as platelet-rich plasma (PRP), stem cells, exosomes, and natural bioproducts, as well as nanoparticles (NPs) and polymers. By using the natural potential of these resources, we simultaneously address environmental challenges and promote innovative solutions in skeletal tissue engineering, initiating a new era of environmentally green biomedical research., (© 2024 Wiley Periodicals LLC.)

Cardiovascular Diseases (CVDs) are responsible for the highest number of deaths and disabilities globally. Although numerous therapeutic options exist for treating CVDs, most traditional strategies have proven ineffective in halting or significantly slowing disease progression, often leading to unfavorable side effects. Using nanocarriers represents an innovative strategy for treating CVD, enabling the personalized delivery of medications to precise locations within the cardiovascular system. Despite significant advancements in pharmacological treatments, challenges persist in effectively administering drugs to the CV system. Employing nanocarriers represents an innovative strategy for treating CVD, enabling the tailored administration of medications to precise locations within the cardiovascular system. Various studies have determined the future outlook of nanomedicines for clinical applications as nanocarrier design continues to improve, leading to enhanced drug delivery and treatment outcomes. The article focuses on the delivery systems of drugs that are effective strategies for treating cardiovascular diseases. This manuscript also seeks to explore new possibilities for how the emerging concept of nanotherapeutics could revolutionize our traditional diagnostic and treatment methods in the coming years., (Copyright© Bentham Science Publishers; For any queries, please email at epub@benthamscience.net.)

Tendons are fibrous connective tissues that transmit force from muscles to bones. Despite their ability to withstand various loads, tendons are susceptible to significant damage. The healing process of tendons and ligaments connected to bone surfaces after injury presents a clinical challenge due to the intricate structure, composition, cellular populations, and mechanics of the interface. Inflammation plays a pivotal role in tendon healing, creating an inflammatory microenvironment through cytokines and immune cells that aid in debris clearance, tendon cell proliferation, and collagen fiber formation. However, uncontrolled inflammation can lead to tissue damage, and adhesions, and impede proper tendon healing, culminating in scar tissue formation. Therefore, precise regulation of inflammation is crucial. This review offers insights into the impact of inflammation on tendon-bone healing and its underlying mechanisms. Understanding the inflammatory microenvironment, cellular interactions, and extracellular matrix dynamics is essential for promoting optimal healing of tendon-bone injuries. The roles of fibroblasts, inflammatory cytokines, chemokines, and growth factors in promoting healing, inhibiting scar formation, and facilitating tissue regeneration are discussed, highlighting the necessity of balancing the suppression of detrimental inflammatory responses with the promotion of beneficial aspects to enhance tendon healing outcomes. Additionally, the review explores the significant implications and translational potential of targeted inflammatory modulation therapies in refining strategies for tendon-bone healing treatments., Competing Interests: The authors declare that the research was conducted in the absence of any commercial or financial relationships that could be construed as a potential conflict of interest., (Copyright © 2024 Jiang, Zhao, Zhang, Bi, Zhang, Sun, Yao, Zhu, Yang, Liu, Xu, Yu and Xiao.)

Bone loss in the alveolar ridge is a factor widely studied by dentists in implant surgeries, as it poses a major challenge for aesthetic and functional recovery in patients with large maxillary bone defects. Synthetic biomaterials function as grafts designed to replace and remodel bone tissue. Calcium phosphate is a biomaterial that has good properties such as biocompatibility and bioactivity, making it a reference in bone replacement treatments. A synthetic biomaterial such as calcium phosphate can be obtained by various synthesis techniques. The microwave hydrothermal method (HTMO) is a pathway that allows changes in synthesis parameters and significantly increases the transmission efficiency of materials such as synthetic calcium phosphate derivatives. The study proposes obtaining a biomaterial for bone grafting based on calcium phosphate by the microwave HTMO and evaluating its microstructural and physicochemical characteristics. The parameters tested in this process were temperature and reaction time. The calcium phosphate particulates were obtained by the microwave HTMO at temperatures of 110°C and 130°C for 60 min and calcined at 300°C, 500°C, and 700°C. Microstructural and physicochemical characterization analyses were carried out using scanning electron microscopy, Fourier transform infrared, and X-ray diffraction. The results obtained showed the presence of more than one calcium phosphate biological interest phase, as hydroxyapatite (HA), tricalcium phosphate ( β -TCP), and octacalcium phosphate (OCP), highlighting with increasing calcination temperature, the β -TCP phase becomes evident. The proposed synthesis method was efficient in obtaining a biomaterial with suitable physical and chemical characteristics, with an association of crystalline phases of biological interest related to the increase in synthesis temperature and calcination temperature., Competing Interests: The authors declare no conflicts of interest., (Copyright © 2024 Ana Elisa Vilicev Italiano et al.)

Pyroptosis can effectively overcome immunosuppression and reactivate antitumor immunity. However, pyroptosis initiation is challenging. First, the underlying biological mechanisms of pyroptosis are complex, and a variety of gasdermin family proteins can be targeted to induce pyroptosis. Second, other intracellular death pathways may also interfere with pyroptosis. The rationally designed gasdermin protein-targeting biomaterials are capable of inducing pyroptosis and have the capacity to stimulate antitumor immune function in a safe and effective manner. This review provides a comprehensive overview of the design, function, and antitumor efficacy of pyroptosis-inducing materials and the associated challenges, with a particular focus on the design options for pyroptosis-inducing biomaterials based on the activation of different gasdermin proteins. This review offers a valuable foundation for the further development of pyroptosis-inducing biomaterials for clinical applications., (© 2024 The Author(s). Advanced Science published by Wiley‐VCH GmbH.)

Osteoarthritis is a progressive, irreversible debilitating whole joint disease that affects millions of people worldwide. Despite the availability of various options (non-pharmacological and pharmacological treatments and therapy, orthobiologics, and surgical interventions), none of them can definitively cure osteoarthritis in patients. Strategies based on the controlled release of therapeutic compounds via biocompatible materials may provide powerful tools to enhance the spatiotemporal delivery, expression, and activities of the candidate agents as a means to durably manage the pathological progression of osteoarthritis in the affected joints upon convenient intra-articular (injectable) delivery while reducing their clearance, dissemination, or side effects. The goal of this review is to describe the current knowledge and advancements of controlled release to treat osteoarthritis, from basic principles to applications in vivo using therapeutic recombinant molecules and drugs and more innovatively gene sequences, providing a degree of confidence to manage the disease in patients in a close future., (© 2024 The Author(s). Advanced Healthcare Materials published by Wiley‐VCH GmbH.)

Polymeric supramolecular hydrogels (PSHs) leverage the thermodynamic and kinetic properties of non-covalent interactions between polymer chains to govern their structural characteristics. As these materials are formed via endothermic or exothermic equilibria, their thermal response is challenging to control without drastically changing the nature of the chemistry used to join them. In this study, we introduce a novel class of PSHs utilizing the intercalation of double-stranded DNA (dsDNA) as the primary dynamic non-covalent interaction. The resulting dsDNA intercalating supramolecular hydrogels (DISHs) can be tuned to exhibit both endothermically or exothermically driven binding through strategic selection of intercalators. Bifunctional polyethylene glycol (M W ~2000 Da) capped with intercalators of varying hydrophobicity, charge, and size (acridine, psoralen, thiazole orange, and phenanthridine) produced DISHs with comparable moduli (500-1000 Pa), but unique thermal viscoelastic responses. Notably, acridine-based cross-linkers displayed invariant and even increasing relaxation times with temperature, suggesting an endothermic binding mechanism. This methodology expands the set of structure-properties available to biomass-derived DNA biomaterials and promises a new material system where a broad set of thermal and viscoelastic responses can be obtained due to the sheer number and variety of intercalating molecules., (© 2024 Wiley-VCH GmbH.)

We construct a compartmentalized nanoarchitecture to regulate bioenergy level. Glucose dehydrogenase, urease and nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide are encapsulated inside through liquid-liquid phase separation. ATPase and glucose transporter embedded in hybrid liposomes are attached at the surface. Glucose is transported and converted to gluconic acid catalyzed by glucose dehydrogenase, resulting in an outward proton gradient to drive ATPase for ATP synthesis. In parallel, urease catalyzes hydrolysis of urea to generate ammonia, which leads to an inward proton gradient to drive ATPase for ATP hydrolysis. These processes lead to a change of the direction of proton gradient, thus achieving artificial ATP oscillation. Importantly, the frequency and the amplitude of the oscillation can be programmed. The work explores nanoarchitectonics integrating multiple components to realize artificial and precise oscillation of bioenergy level., (© 2024 Wiley-VCH GmbH.)

Objective: Venous leg ulcers (VLUs) are often large and complicated wounds that, despite combinations of advanced wound care techniques and systemic treatment of underlying vascular issues, take many months to heal and have high rates of recurrence. In this study, we investigated the efficacy of a novel wound care solution-human keratin matrix (HKM)., Method: A case series of VLUs were treated with HKM in conjunction with indicated vascular intervention and standard of care (SoC) procedures. For analysis, these wounds were divided into very large (>200 cm 2 ) and smaller (<35 cm 2 ) wounds., Results: The cohort comprised 16 VLUs (very large=7; smaller=9). Very large VLUs were reduced in size by an average of 71% within 10 weeks, and showed a 50% size reduction within four applications of HKM. Smaller VLUs reduced by 50% in size within the first three weeks of treatment, and 88.9% of these wounds healed completely with an average of 4.5 HKM applications over an average of 6.5 weeks., Conclusion: The results of this series highlight the potential of HKM, in combination with indicated systemic interventions and SoC, as an effective treatment for hard-to-heal (chronic) VLUs, even in very large wounds.

Islet transplantation (ITx) is an effective means to restore physiologic glycemic regulation in those living with type 1 diabetes; however, there are a handful of barriers that prevent the broad application of this functionally curative procedure. The restricted cell supply, requisite for life-long toxic immunosuppression, and significant immediate and gradual graft attrition limits the procedure to only those living with brittle diabetes. While intraportal ITx is the primary clinical site, portal vein-specific factors including low oxygen tension and the instant blood-mediated inflammatory reaction are detrimental to initial engraftment and long-term function. These factors among others prevent the procedure from granting recipients long-term insulin independence. Herein, we provide an overview of the status and limitations of ITx, and novel innovations that address the shortcomings presented. Despite the marked progress highlighted in the review from as early as the initial islet tissue transplantation in 1893, ongoing efforts to improve the procedure efficacy and success are also explored. Progress in identifying unlimited cell sources, more favourable transplant sites, and novel drug delivery strategies all work to broaden ITx application and reduce adverse outcomes. Exploring combination of these approaches may uncover synergies that can further advance the field of ITx in providing sustainable functional cures. Finally, the potential of biomaterial strategies to facilitate immune evasion and local immune modulation are featured and may underpin successful application in alternative transplant sites., Competing Interests: The authors declare that the research was conducted in the absence of any commercial or financial relationships that could be construed as a potential conflict of interest., (© 2024 Wong and Pepper.)

Despite advances in tissue engineering for tendon repair, rapid functional repair is still challenging due to its specificity and is prone to complications such as postoperative infections and tendon adhesions. Smart responsive hydrogels provide new ideas for tendon therapy with their flexibly designed three-dimensional cross-linked polymer networks that respond to specific stimuli. In recent years, a variety of smart-responsive hydrogels have been developed for the treatment of tendon disorders, showing great research promise and ability to address complex challenges. This article provides a comprehensive review of recent advances in the field of smart-responsive hydrogels for the treatment of tendon disorders, with a special focus on their response properties to different physical, chemical and biological stimuli. The multiple functional properties of these innovative materials are discussed in depth, including excellent biocompatibility and biodegradability, excellent mechanical properties, biomimetic structural design, convenient injectability, and unique self-healing capabilities. These properties enable the smart-responsive hydrogels to demonstrate significant advantages in solving difficult problems in the treatment of tendon disorders, such as precise drug delivery, tendon adhesion prevention and postoperative infection control. In addition, the article looks at the future prospects of smart-responsive hydrogels and analyses the challenges they may face in achieving widespread application., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2024 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

Spinal cord injury (SCI) is a profound medical condition that significantly hampers motor function, imposing substantial limitations on daily activities and exerting a considerable financial burden on patients and their families. The constrained regenerative capacity of endogenous spinal cord tissue, exacerbated by the inflammatory response following the initial trauma, poses a formidable obstacle to effective therapy. Recent advancements in the field, stem cells, biomaterials, and molecular therapy, show promising outcomes. This review provides a comprehensive analysis of tissue engineering and regenerative medicine approaches for SCI treatment, including cell transplantation, tissue-engineered construct implantation, and other potential therapeutic strategies. Additionally, it sheds light on preclinical animal studies and recent clinical trials incorporating these modalities, providing a glimpse into the evolving landscape of SCI management. STATEMENT OF SIGNIFICANCE: The investigation into spinal cord injury (SCI) treatments focuses on reducing long-term impacts by targeting scar inhibition and enhancing regeneration through stem cells, with or without growth factors. Induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs) show promise for autologous use, with clinical trials confirming their safety. Challenges include low cell viability and difficulty in targeted differentiation. Biomaterial scaffolds hold potential for improving cell viability and integration, and extracellular vesicles (EVs) are emerging as a novel therapy. While EV research is in its early stages, stem cell trials demonstrate safety and potential recovery. Advancing tissue engineering approaches with biomaterial scaffolds is crucial for human trials., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2024 Acta Materialia Inc. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

Given the crucial role nerves play in maintaining corneal function and integrity, the ability of bioengineered cornea to demonstrate functional nerve regeneration directly influences their longevity and stability. Despite advances in biofabrication techniques and an increasing appreciation of the importance of neural innervation, to this day none have completely replicated the complexity and functionality of the cornea with successful innervation. This review evaluates the materials and fabrication techniques used to produce and enhance innervation in bioengineered cornea. Approaches to facilitating innervation are discussed and methods of assessing innervation compared. Finally, current challenges and future directions for innervated bioengineered cornea are presented, providing guidance for future work. STATEMENT OF SIGNIFICANCE: The functional nerve regeneration in bioengineered corneas directly influences their longevity and stability. Despite advancements in biofabrication techniques and growing recognition of the importance of neural innervation for bioengineered cornea, there remains a lack of comprehensive reviews on this topic. This review addresses the critical gap by evaluating the materials and fabrication techniques employed to promote innervation in bioengineered corneas. Additionally, we discuss various approaches to enhancing innervation, compare assessment methods, and examine both in vitro and in vivo responses. By providing a comprehensive overview of the current state of research and highlighting challenges and future directions, this review aims to provide guidance for inducing innervation of bioengineered cornea., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2024 The Author(s). Published by Elsevier Ltd.. All rights reserved.)

Myocardial infarction (MI), which causes irreversible myocardium necrosis, affects 0.25 billion people globally and has become one of the most significant epidemics of our time. Over the past few years, bioprinting has moved beyond a concept of simply incorporating cells into biomaterials, to strategically defining the microenvironment (e.g., architecture, biomolecular signalling, mechanical stimuli, etc.) within which the cells are printed. Among the different bioprinting applications, myocardial repair is a field that has seen some of the most significant advances towards the management of the repaired tissue microenvironment. This review critically assesses the most recent biomedical innovations being carried out in cardiac patch bioprinting, with specific considerations given to the biomaterial design parameters, growth factors/cytokines, biomechanical and bioelectrical conditioning, as well as innovative biomaterial-based "4D" bioprinting (3D scaffold structure + temporal morphology changes) of myocardial tissues, immunomodulation and sustained delivery systems used in myocardium bioprinting. Key challenges include the ability to generate large quantities of cardiac cells, achieve high-density capillary networks, establish biomaterial designs that are comparable to native cardiac extracellular matrix, and manage the sophisticated systems needed for combining cardiac tissue microenvironmental cues while simultaneously establishing bioprinting technologies yielding both high-speed and precision. This must be achieved while considering quality assurance towards enabling reproducibility and clinical translation. Moreover, this manuscript thoroughly discussed the current clinical translational hurdles and regulatory issues associated with the post-bioprinting evaluation, storage, delivery and implantation of the bioprinted myocardial patches. Overall, this paper provides insights into how the clinical feasibility and important regulatory concerns may influence the design of the bioink (biomaterials, cell sources), fabrication and post-fabrication processes associated with bioprinting of the cardiac patches. This paper emphasizes that cardiac patch bioprinting requires extensive collaborations from imaging and 3D modelling technical experts, biomaterial scientists, additive manufacturing experts and healthcare professionals. Further, the work can also guide the field of cardiac patch bioprinting moving forward, by shedding light on the potential use of robotics and automation to increase productivity, reduce financial cost, and enable standardization and true commercialization of bioprinted cardiac patches. STATEMENT OF SIGNIFICANCE: The manuscript provides a critical review of important themes currently pursued for heart patch bioprinting, including critical biomaterial design parameters, physiologically-relevant cardiac tissue stimulations, and newly emerging cardiac tissue bioprinting strategies. This review describes the limited number of studies, to date in the literature, that describe systemic approaches to combine multiple design parameters, including capabilities to yield high-density capillary networks, establish biomaterial composite designs similar to native cardiac extracellular matrix, and incorporate cardiac tissue microenvironmental cues, while simultaneously establishing bioprinting technologies that yield high-speed and precision. New tools such as artificial intelligence may provide the analytical power to consider multiple design parameters and identify an optimized work-flow(s) for enabling the clinical translation of bioprinted cardiac patches., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2024 Acta Materialia Inc. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

The immune cells have demonstrated the ability to promote tissue repair by removing debris, breaking down the extracellular matrix, and regulating cytokine secretion profile. If the behavior of immune cells is not well directed, chronic inflammation and foreign body reaction (FBR) will lead to scar formation and loss of biomaterial functionality. The immunologic response toward tissue repair or chronic inflammation after injury and implantation can be modulated by manipulating the surface properties of biomaterials. Tailoring surface properties of biomaterials enables the regulation of immune cell fate such as adhesion, proliferation, recruitment, polarization, and cytokine secretion profile. This review begins with an overview of the role of immune cells in tissue healing and their interactions with biomaterials. It then discusses how the surface properties of biomaterials influence immune cell behavior. The core focus is reviewing surface modification methods to create innovative materials that reduce foreign body reactions and enhance tissue repair and regeneration by modulating immune cell activities. The review concludes with insights into future advancements in surface modification techniques and the associated challenges., (© 2024 The Author(s). Advanced Healthcare Materials published by Wiley‐VCH GmbH.)

Biomaterials and synthetic polymers have been widely used to replicate the regenerative microenvironment of the peripheral nervous system. Chitosan-based conduits have shown promise in the regeneration of nerve injuries. However, to mimic the regenerative microenvironment, the scaffold structure should possess bioactive properties. This can be achieved by the incorporation of biomolecules (e.g., proteins, peptides) or trophic factors that should preferably be aligned and/or released with controlled kinetics to activate the process of positive axon chemotaxis. In this study, sodium L-lactate has been used to enhance the bioactive properties of chitosan-hydroxyapatite/polycaprolactone electrodeposits. Next, two methods have been developed to incorporate NGF-loaded microspheres - Method 1 involves entrapment and co-deposition of NGF-loaded microspheres, while Method 2 is based on absorption of NGF-loaded microspheres. The study shows that modification of chitosan-hydroxyapatite/polycaprolactone conduits by sodium L-lactate significantly improves their bioactive, biological, and physicochemical properties. The obtained implants are cytocompatible, enhancing the neurite regeneration process by stimulating its elongation. The absorption of NGF-loaded microspheres into the conduit structure may be considered more favorable for the stimulation of axonal elongation compared to entrapment, as it allows for trophic factor dose-dependent controlled release. The developed conduits possess properties essential for the successful treatment of peripheral nerve discontinuities., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare the following financial interests/personal relationships which may be considered as potential competing interests: Katarzyna Nawrotek reports financial support was provided by the National Centre for Research and Development. Katarzyna Nawrotek has patent #P. 445788 A method of producing cylindrical-shaped implants activating the process of positive axon chemotaxis pending to The Patent Office of the Republic of Poland. If there are other authors, they declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2024 The Author(s). Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

Treatment of triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC) poses significant challenges due to its propensity for metastasis. A key impediment lies in the suppressive immune microenvironment, which fosters tumor progression. This study introduces an approach employing a dual immune-stimulatory CD73 antibody-polymeric cytotoxic drug complex (αCD73-PLG-MMAE). This complex is designed for targeted eradication of TNBC while modulating tumor immunity through mechanisms such as immunogenic cell death (ICD) and interference with the adenosine signaling pathway. By enhancing antitumor immune responses, this strategy offers a highly effective means of treating TNBC and mitigating metastasis. The complex is synthesized by combining αCD73 with poly( L -glutamic acid) (PLG) grafted Fc binding peptides (Fc-III-4C) and Val-Cit-PAB-monomethyl auristatin E (MMAE), exploiting the affinity between αCD73 and Fc-III-4C. αCD73 selectively targets CD73 molecules on both tumor and immune suppressive cells, thereby inhibiting the adenosine pathway. Meanwhile, Val-Cit-PAB-MMAE, activated by cathepsin B, triggers selective release of MMAE, inducing ICD in tumor cells. In a 4T1 tumor model, αCD73-PLG-MMAE significantly enhances drug accumulation in tumors by 4.13-fold compared to IgG-PLG-MMAE, leading to suppression of tumor growth and metastasis. Furthermore, it synergistically augments the antitumor effects of αPD-1, resulting in a tumor inhibition rate of 92 % as compared to 21 % with αPD-1 alone. This study thus presents a pioneering therapeutic strategy for TNBC, emphasizing the potential of targeted immunomodulation in cancer treatment. STATEMENT OF SIGNIFICANCE: Antibody-drug conjugate (ADC) therapy holds promise for treating triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC). However, the current ADC, sacituzumab govitecan, fails to overcome the crucial role of adenosine in the suppressive immune microenvironment characteristic of this "cold tumor". Here, we present a dual immune-stimulatory complex, αCD73-PLG-MMAE, which targets TNBC specifically and modulates tumor immunity through mechanisms such as immunogenic cell death (ICD) and interference with the adenosine signaling pathway. Thus, it kills tumor cells with cytotoxic drugs, comprehensively regulates immunosuppression, and restores a durable immune response. This study proposes an antibody-polymeric drug complex with immunomodulatory and immunoagonist roles, offering new insights into TNBC treatment., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2024 Acta Materialia Inc. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

Biomaterials are widely employed across diverse biomedical applications and represent an attractive strategy to explore how extracellular matrix components influence cellular response. In this study, the previously developed streptavidin platforms is aimed to use to investigate the role of glycosaminoglycans (GAGs) in bone morphogenetic protein 2 (BMP2) signaling. However, it is observed that the interpretation of findings is skewed due to the GAG-unrelated, non-specific binding of BMP2 on components of biomaterials. Non-specific adsorption of proteins is a recurrent and challenging issue for biomaterial studies. Despite the initial incorporation of anti-fouling polyethylene glycol (PEG) chains within biomaterials, the residual non-specific BMP2 adsorption still triggered BMP2 signaling within the same range as conditions of interest. The various options are explored to prevent BMP2 non-specific adsorption and a successful blocking condition involving a combination of bovine serum albumin and trehalose are identified. Furthermore, the effect of this blocking step improved when using gold platforms instead of glass, particularly with Chinese hamster ovary (CHO) cells. With this specific example, it is suggested that non-specific adsorption of BMPs on biomaterials may be a general concern - often undetected by classical surface-sensitive techniques - that needs to be addressed to better interpret cellular responses., (© 2024 The Author(s). Macromolecular Bioscience published by Wiley‐VCH GmbH.)

The skin is a tissue constantly exposed to the risk of damage, such as cuts, burns, and genetic disorders. The standard treatment is autograft, but it can cause pain to the patient being extremely complex in patients suffering from burns on large body surfaces. Considering that there is a need to develop technologies for the repair of skin tissue like 3D bioprinting. Skin is a tissue that is approximately 1/16 of the total body weight and has three main layers: epidermis, dermis, and hypodermis. Therefore, there are several studies using cells, biomaterials, and bioprinting for skin regeneration. Here, we provide an overview of the structure and function of the epidermis, dermis, and hypodermis, and showed in the recent research in skin regeneration, the main cells used, biomaterials studied that provide initial support for these cells, allowing the growth and formation of the neotissue and general characteristics, advantages and disadvantages of each methodology and the landmarks in recent research in the 3D skin bioprinting., Competing Interests: Declaration of conflicting interestsThe author(s) declared no potential conflicts of interest with respect to the research, authorship, and/or publication of this article.

Over the past two decades, deep eutectic solvents (DESs) have captured significant attention as an emergent class of solvents that have unique properties and applications in differing fields of chemistry. One area where DES systems find utility is the design of polymeric gels, often referred to as "eutectogels," which can be prepared either using a DES to replace a traditional solvent, or where monomers form part of the DES themselves. Due to the extensive network of intramolecular interactions (e.g., hydrogen bonding) and ionic species that exist in DES systems, polymeric eutectogels often possess appealing material properties-high adhesive strength, tuneable viscosity, rapid polymerization kinetics, good conductivity, as well as high strength and flexibility. In addition, non-covalent crosslinking approaches are possible due to the inherent interactions that exist in these materials. This review considers several key applications of polymeric eutectogels, including organic electronics, wearable sensor technologies, 3D printing resins, adhesives, and a range of various biomedical applications. The design, synthesis, and properties of these eutectogels are discussed, in addition to the advantages of this synthetic approach in comparison to traditional gel design. Perspectives on the future directions of this field are also highlighted., (© 2024 The Author(s). Macromolecular Rapid Communications published by Wiley‐VCH GmbH.)

Immunotherapy has developed into an important modality of modern cancer treatment. Unfortunately, checkpoint inhibitor immunotherapies are currently delivered systemically and require frequent administration, which can result in toxicity and severe, sometimes fatal, adverse events. Localized delivery of immunomodulators for oral cancer and oral potentially malignant disorders offers the promise of maximum therapeutic potential and reduced systemic adverse effects. This review will discuss the limitations of current standard-of-care systemic therapies and highlight research advances in localized, intratumoral delivery platforms for immunotherapy for oral cancer and oral potentially malignant disorders., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2024 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

3D culture of ovarian follicles in hydrogel matrices is an important emerging tool for basic scientific studies as well as clinical applications such as fertility preservation. For optimizing and scaling 3D culture of preantral follicles, there is a need for identifying biomaterial matrices that simplifies and improves the current culture procedures. At present, microencapsulation of follicles in alginate beads is the most commonly used approach. However, this technique involves notable manual handling and is best suited for encapsulation of single or several follicles. As a potential alternative, we here explore the suitability of different particle-based hydrogel matrices, where follicles can easily be introduced in tunable 3D environments, in large numbers. Specifically, we study the growth of secondary murine follicles in microgranular alginate and nanofibrillar cellulose matrices, with and without cell-binding cues, and map follicle growth against the viscoelastic properties of the matrices. We cultured follicles within the particle-based hydrogels for 10 days and continuously monitored their size, survival, and tendency to extrude oocytes. Interestingly, we observed that the diameter of the growing follicles increased significantly in the particle-based matrices, as compared to state-of-the-art alginate micro-encapsulation. On the other hand, the follicles displayed an increased tendency for early oocyte extrusion in the granular matrices, leading to a notable reduction in the number of intact follicles. We propose that this may be caused by impaired diffusion of nutrients and oxygen through thicker matrices, attributable to our experimental setup. Still, our findings suggest that viscoelastic, granular hydrogels represent promising matrices for 3D culture of early-stage ovarian follicles. In particular, these materials may easily be implemented in advanced culturing devices such as micro-perfusion systems., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare the following financial interests/personal relationships which may be considered as potential competing interests: Johan Ulrik Lind reports financial support was provided by the Technical University of Denmark. If there are other authors, they declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2024 The Authors. Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

Microbial cellulose stands out for its exceptional characteristics in the form of biofilms formed by highly interlocked fibrils, namely, bacterial nanocellulose (BNC). Concurrently, bio-based aerogels are finding uses in innovative materials owing to their lightweight, high surface area, physical, mechanical, and thermal properties. In particular, bio-based aerogels based on BNC offer significant opportunities as alternatives to synthetic or mineral counterparts. BNC aerogels are proposed for diverse applications, ranging from sensors to medical devices, as well as thermal and electroactive systems. Due to the fibrous nanostructure of BNC and the micro-porosity of BNC aerogels, these materials enable the creation of tailored and specialized designs. Herein, a comprehensive review of BNC-based aerogels, their attributes, hierarchical, and multiscale features are provided. Their potential across various disciplines is highlighted, emphasizing their biocompatibility and suitability for physical and chemical modification. BNC aerogels are shown as feasible options to advance material science and foster sustainable solutions through biotechnology., (© 2024 The Author(s). Small published by Wiley‐VCH GmbH.)

World hunger is getting worse, while one-third of food produced around the globe is wasted and never consumed. It is vital to reduce food waste to promote the sustainability of food systems, and improved food packaging solutions can augment this effort. The utilization of biomaterials in smart food packaging not only enhances food preservation and safety but also aligns with current demands for eco-friendly technologies to mitigate the impacts of climate change. This review provides a comprehensive overview of the developments in the field of food packaging based on the innovative use of biomaterials. It emphasizes the potential use of biomaterials derived from nature including cellulose, chitosan, keratin, etc. for this purpose. Various smart food packaging technologies such as active and intelligent packaging are discussed in detail including scavenging additives, colour-changing environment indicators, sensors, RFID tags, etc. The article also delves into the utilization of edible films and coatings, nanoparticle fillers and 2D materials in food packaging systems. Furthermore, it outlines the challenges and opportunities in this dynamic domain, emphasizing the ongoing need for research and innovation to shape the future of sustainable and smart food packaging solutions to enhance and monitor the shelf-life of food products., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this article., (Copyright © 2024 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

Tissue or organ damage due to severe injuries or chronic diseases can adversely affect the quality of life. Current treatments rely on organ or tissue transplantation which has limitations including unavailability of donors, ethical issues, or immune rejection after transplantations. These limitations can be addressed by tissue regeneration which involves the development of bioactive scaffolds closely mimicking the extracellular matrix (ECM). One of the major components of ECM is the laminin protein which supports several tissues associated with important organs. In this direction, peptide-based hydrogels can effectively mimic the essential characteristics of laminin. While several reports have discussed the structure of laminin, the potential of laminin-derived peptide hydrogels as effective biomaterial for tissue engineering applications is yet to be discussed. In this context, the current review focuses on the structure of laminin and its role as an essential ECM protein. Further, the potential of short peptide hydrogels in mimicking the crucial properties of laminin is proposed. The review further highlights the significance of bioactive hydrogels inspired by laminin - in addressing numerous tissue engineering applications including angiogenesis, neural, skeletal muscle, liver, and adipose tissue regeneration along with a brief outlook on the future applications of these laminin-based hydrogels., (© 2024 Wiley‐VCH GmbH.)

Piezoelectric ceramics are piezoelectric materials with polycrystalline structure and have been widely used in many fields such as medical imaging and sound sensors. As knowledge about this kind of material develops, researchers find piezoelectric ceramics possess favorable piezoelectricity, biocompatibility, mechanical properties, porous structure and antibacterial effect and endeavor to apply piezoelectric ceramics to the field of bone tissue engineering. However, clinically no piezoelectric ceramics have been exercised so far. Therefore, in this paper we present a comprehensive review of the research and development of various piezoelectric ceramics including barium titanate, potassium sodium niobate and zinc oxide ceramics and aims to explore the application of piezoelectric ceramics in bone regeneration by providing a detailed overview of the current knowledge and research of piezoelectric ceramics in bone tissue regeneration., Competing Interests: Declaration of conflicting interestsThe author(s) declared no potential conflicts of interest with respect to the research, authorship, and/or publication of this article.

Alginate (Alg) polymers have received much attention due to the mild conditions required for gel formation and their good bio-acceptability. However, due to limited interactions with cells, many drugs, and biomolecules, chemically modified alginates are of great interest. Sulfated alginate (S-Alg) is a promising heparin-mimetic that continues to be investigated both as a drug molecule and as a component of biomaterials. Herein, the S-Alg literature of the past five years (2017-2023) is reviewed. Several methods used to synthesize S-Alg are described, with a focus on new advances in characterization and stereoselectivity. Material fabrication is another focus and spans bulk materials, particles, scaffolds, coatings, and part of multicomponent biomaterials. The new application of S-Alg as an antitumor agent is highlighted together with studies evaluating safety and biodistribution. The high binding affinity of S-Alg for various drugs and heparin-binding proteins is exploited extensively in biomaterial design to tune the encapsulation and release of these agents and this aspect is covered in detail. Recommondations include publishing key material properties to allow reproducibility, careful selection of appropriate sulfation strategies, the use of cross-linking strategies other than ionic cross-linking for material fabrication, and more detailed toxicity and biodistribution studies to inform future work., (© 2024 The Author(s). Macromolecular Bioscience published by Wiley‐VCH GmbH.)

Biomass-derived materials generally exhibit uniform and highly-stable hierarchical porous structures that can hardly be achieved by conventional chemical synthesis and artificial design. When used as electrodes for rechargeable batteries, these structural and compositional advantages often endow the batteries with superior electrochemical performances. This review systematically introduces the innate merits of biomass-derived materials and their applications as the electrode for advanced rechargeable batteries, including lithium-ion batteries, sodium-ion batteries, potassium-ion batteries, and metal-sulfur batteries. In addition, biomass-derived materials as catalyst supports for metal-air batteries, fuel cells, and redox-flow batteries are also included. The major challenges for specific batteries and the strategies for utilizing biomass-derived materials are detailly introduced. Finally, the future development of biomass-derived materials for advanced rechargeable batteries is prospected. This review aims to promote the development of biomass-derived materials in the field of energy storage and provides effective suggestions for building advanced rechargeable batteries., (© 2024 Wiley‐VCH GmbH.)

Electrohydrodynamic (EHD) direct-writing has recently gained attention as a highly promising additive manufacturing strategy for fabricating intricate micro/nanoscale architectures. This technique is particularly well-suited for mimicking the extracellular matrix (ECM) present in biological tissue, which serves a vital function in facilitating cell colonization, migration, and growth. The integration of EHD direct-writing with other techniques has been employed to enhance the biological performance of scaffolds, and significant advancements have been made in the development of tailored scaffold architectures and constituents to meet the specific requirements of various biomedical applications. Here, a comprehensive overview of EHD direct-writing is provided, including its underlying principles, demonstrated materials systems, and biomedical applications. A brief chronology of EHD direct-writing is provided, along with an examination of the observed phenomena that occur during the printing process. The impact of biomaterial selection and architectural topographic cues on biological performance is also highlighted. Finally, the major limitations associated with EHD direct-writing are discussed., (© 2024 Wiley‐VCH GmbH.)

This study aimed to prepare and assess active microneedle (MN) patches based on a novel biomaterial and their effective coupled (physical and electrical) transdermal delivery of a model drug (Linezoid). Modified MN patches (e.g. fabricated from Linezoid, boronated chitosan, polyvinyl alcohol and D-sorbitol) were engineered using a vacuum micromoulding method. Physicochemical, FTIR (Fourier transform infrared), in-silico, structural and thermal analysis of prepared formulations were conducted to ascertain MN quality, composition and integrity. In-vitro mechanical tests, membrane toxicity, drug release, antibiofilm, ex-vivo mucoadhesion, insertion and in-vivo antibiofilm studies were performed to further validate viability of the coupled system. Optimized MN patch formulation (CSHP3 - comprising of 3 % w/v boronated chitosan, 3.5 % w/v PVA and 10 % w/w D-sorbitol) exhibited sharp-tipped, equi-distant and uniform-surfaced micron-scaled projections with conforming physicochemical features. FTIR analysis confirmed modification (i.e., boronation) of chitosan and compatibility as well as interaction between CSHP3 constituents. In-silico analysis indicated non-covalent interactions between all formulation constituents. Moreover, boronated chitosan-mucin glycoprotein complex showed a stronger bonding (∼1.86 times higher CScore) as compared to linezolid-mucin counterpart. Thermal analysis indicated amorphous nature of CSHP3. A ∼ 1.42 times higher tensile strength was displayed by CSHP3 as compared to control (i.e., pure chitosan, polyvinyl alcohol and D-sorbitol-based MN patch). Membrane toxicity study indicated non-toxic and physiological compatible nature of CSHP3. Within 90 min, 91.99 ± 2.3 % linezolid was released from CSHP3. During release study on agarose gel, CSHP3-iontophoresis treatment resulted in a ∼ 1.78 and ∼ 1.20 times higher methylene blue-covered area and optical density, respectively, within 60 min as compared to CSHP3 treatment alone. Staphylococcus aureus biofilms treated with CSHP3 exhibited 65 ± 4.2 % reduction in their mass. CSHP3 MN patches remained adhered to the rabbit oral mucosa for 6 ± 0.15 h. Mucosa treated with CSHP3 and CSHP3-iontophoresis combination showed a generation of pathways in the epithelium layers without any damage to the underlying lamina propria. Eradication of Staphylococcus aureus from oral mucosal wounds and complete tissue regeneration was recorded following 7-day treatment using CSHP3-iontophoresis coupled approach., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors have no conflict of interests., (Copyright © 2024. Published by Elsevier B.V.)

Objective: Biomaterials loaded with ingredients derived from traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) are viewed as a promising strategy for treating spinal cord injury (SCI). However, a comprehensive analysis of the existing literature on this topic has not yet been conducted. Therefore, this paper systematically reviews researches related to this approach, aiming to identify gaps and shortcomings in the field., Methods: PubMed, EMBASE, Web of Science, Chinese Biomedical Literature, Wanfang, and China National Knowledge Infrastructure (CNKI) were searched for retrieving studies on biomaterials loaded with TCM ingredients published from their inception to October 2024. Two reviewers performed screening of search results, information extraction, and literature quality assessment independently., Results: For this systematic review, 41 publications were included. Six TCM ingredients-paclitaxel, curcumin, tetramethylpyrazine, resveratrol, berberine, and tanshinone IIA were combined with biomaterials for treatment of SCI. Biomaterials were categorized into hydrogels, biodegradable scaffolds, nanoparticles, and microspheres according to the type of scaffold. These drug delivery systems exhibit commendable biocompatibility, drug-loading capacity, and drug-release capabilities, and in combination with TCM ingredients, synergistically contribute to anti-oxidative stress, anti-inflammatory, neuroprotective, and anti-apoptotic effects., Conclusion: These studies demonstrated the efficacy of biomaterials loaded with TCM ingredients in facilitating motor function recovery and neuroprotection in SCI rats, providing evidence for future research. However, in the complex microenvironment of SCI, achieving the maximum drug loading capacity of TCM ingredients within biomaterials, along with sustained and controlled release to fully exert their pharmacological effects, remains a major challenge for future research., Systematic Review Registration: https://www.crd.york.ac.uk/PROSPERO/ identifier CRD42024505000., Competing Interests: The authors declare that the research was conducted in the absence of any commercial or financial relationships that could be construed as a potential conflict of interest., (Copyright © 2024 Liu, Pei, Bai, Huo, Deng, Jiang, Tao, Xu, Li, Gao and Mu.)

One of the key stages of wound healing is the phase of inflammation, which is a transitional process between hemostasis and wound healing. Each stage of the inflammatory-reparative process is characterized by its own value of the acidity of the wound bed. For example, in the acute stage of inflammation, the acidity of the medium in the wound bed decreases to pH 5.5-6. The chronic stage of the inflammatory process, on the contrary, is accompanied by an increase in pH to 8. To date, the effect of biomaterials containing components of the intercellular matrix of the human dermis on fibroblasts under acidosis and alkalosis has not been fully investigated., Aim: : The aim of this study was to characterize the effect of bioplastic material based on collagen, hyaluronic acid, and elastin on the viability and proliferative activity of human fibroblasts in conditions simulating the acidity of acute and chronic wounds., Materials and Methods: : Bioplastic material was made according to the method described in RF patent no. 2722744. Adhesive properties and proliferative activity of human fibroblasts were assessed visually using fluorescent microscopy. The number of apoptotic and necrotic cells was assessed by flow cytometry (BD FACSCanto II) using the commercial FITC Annexin V Apoptosis Detection Kit I (BD Pharmingen). The strength, Young's modulus, and elasticity of the gels were determined on a TA.XT-plus texture analyzer (Stable Micro Systems, Great Britain)., Results: : Using the methods of luminescent microscopy and flow cytometry, we found that the cell viability (namely, adhesive properties and proliferative activity) decreases after incubation on condition mimic of physiological acidosis. We found that bioplastic material contributes to the preservation of adhesive properties, viability, and proliferative activity of fibroblasts in physiological acidosis conditions. The results obtained indicate that bioplastic material based on soluble dermis components can be used as a biologically active component of wound dressings to increase the effectiveness of reparative regeneration, especially in cases of excessive acute inflammation., (© 2024. Pleiades Publishing, Ltd.)

Silk fibroin is a fiber-forming protein derived from the thread of Bombyx mori silkworm cocoons. This biocompatible protein, under the kosmotropic influence of potassium phosphate, can undergo supramolecular self-assembly driven by a random coil to β-sheet secondary structure transition. By leveraging concurrent nonspecific adsorption and self-assembly of silk fibroin, we demonstrate an interfacial phenomenon that yields adherent, defect-free nanothin protein coatings that grow continuously in time, without observable saturation in mass deposition. This noncovalent growth of silk fibroin coatings is a departure from traditionally studied protein adsorption phenomena, which generally yield adsorbed layers that saturate in mass with time and often do not completely cover the surface. Here, we explore the fundamental mechanisms of coating growth by examining the effects of coating solution parameters that promote or inhibit silk fibroin self-assembly. Results show a strong dependence of coating kinetics and structure on solution pH, salt species, and salt concentration. Moreover, coating growth was observed to occur in two stages: an early stage driven by protein-surface interactions and a late stage driven by protein-protein interactions. To describe this phenomenon, we developed a kinetic adsorption model with Langmuir-like behavior at early times and a constant steady-state growth rate at later times. Structural analysis by FTIR and photoinduced force microscopy show that small β-sheet-rich structures serve as anchoring sites for absorbing protein nanoaggregates, which is critical for coating formation. Additionally, β-sheets are preferentially located at the interface between protein nanoaggregates in the coating, suggesting their role in forming stable, robust coatings.