Natural-Based Nanocomposite Ink Engineering for Seamless Multi-Material Integration in Extrusion-Based 3D Printing.

Multi-tissue regeneration remains a critical clinical challenge due to the lack of solutions that can replicate the hierarchical heterogeneity of such complex interfaces. While biofabrication approaches, such as extrusion-based, allow replicating robust, biomimetic, and layered designs, constructs are usually hindered by inadequate phase/layer integration, poor filler dispersion, and mismatched rheological and mechanical performances. This study introduces an ink engineering strategy as a solution for integrating natural-based nanocomposites in multi-tissue regenerative approaches.

Xanthan Gum-Iron System: Natural, Mechanically Tunable, Bioactive, and Magnetic-Responsive Hydrogels for Biomedical Engineering Applications.

Xanthan gum (XG) has performed far better than other polysaccharides for industrial purposes, e.g., food, pharmaceutical, and cosmetic applications, due to its outstanding thickening effect, pseudoplastic rheological properties, and non-toxicity.

Merging Natural Biopolymers with Supramolecular Chemistry: Emulating the Native Extracellular Matrix's Complexity.

The extracellular matrix (ECM) is one of the most striking natural self-assembled landscapes, essential for tissue integrity and cellular functions, where it orchestrates cell fate through a dynamic interplay of noncovalent interactions. Despite decades of research, there is still no scaffold that can replicate its nanostructural elegance and functional dynamic behavior. In this Perspective, we summarize cutting-edge approaches to reconstruct the ECM, putting an emphasis on either dynamic supramolecular designs or naturally sourced biopolymers.

Lipid metabolic adaptations of multi-donor mesenchymal stem cells during osteodifferentiation.

Mesenchymal stem cell (MSC) osteodifferentiation is accompanied by important lipid metabolic adaptations, which may reveal relevant biomarkers and potential osteoinductive species. However, high donor variability remains a challenge for biomarker identification. This work unveiled shared lipid features of human adipose-tissue MSC (hAMSC) for three independent donors, using an untargeted NMR spectroscopy methodology.

Hormone receptor discrepancy and molecular subtype changes in canine mammary carcinomas and synchronous lymph node metastasis.

Mammary tumors are the most prevalent neoplasms in intact female dogs; up to 50 % are considered malignant and have the potential to metastasize to regional lymph node and distant organs. Changes in tumor molecular subtype, including its receptor status, can occur during mammary tumor progression. This study aimed to explore hormone receptor discrepancies and the relationship between molecular subtypes in primary mammary tumors (PTs) and paired lymph node metastases (LNMs).

Exploring In Vitro Mesenchymal Stem Cell Osteodifferentiation via Vibrational Microspectroscopy: A Review.

The application of vibrational microspectroscopy to the study of in vitro mesenchymal stem cells (MSC) osteogenic differentiation is a promising approach towards the understanding of the molecular processes involved in bone fabrication. Both infrared (IR) and Raman microspectroscopies have been applied, with a clear predominance of the latter. Bone marrow MSC have been the target of most studies, followed by those originating from dental/oral and adipose tissues.

Marine-Origin Polysaccharides and Their Chemically Modified Derivatives as Sources of Advanced Biofunctional Materials for Biomedical Applications.

Marine polysaccharides are widely available sustainable renewable macromolecules, which have attracted considerable attention owing to their enhanced biocompatibility, biodegradability, noncytotoxic, nonimmunogenic properties, and close similarity to the native cellular microenvironment of tissues and organs. Herein, a comprehensive overview of the main sources and properties of most studied cationic, anionic, and neutral marine-origin polysaccharides, their main chemical functionalization strategies, as well as their processing into advanced biofunctional materials/devices is provided. Several recent examples are given on the bottom-up processing of marine-origin polysaccharide-based biomaterials in the form of nano-/microparticles and capsules, nanofibers, thin films, membranes, hydrogels, cryogels, and (bio)inks to be used as high added-value antimicrobial coatings, adhesives, and wound dressings, or in food packaging, cosmetics, controlled drug delivery, disease modeling, or tissue engineering and regenerative medicine.

Contactless 3D acoustic assembly of liquid capsules for bottom-up tissue engineering.

In recent years, considerable efforts have been directed towards developing systems that replicate native tissue microarchitecture, enhancing cell viability and achieving close-to-native cellular organization. Despite advancements in various assembly methods, scalability and cell viability remain challenging due to the time consuming nature of certain approaches. Acoustic assembly has emerged as a powerful technology for modular units' assembly, leveraging sound waves to achieve rapid, contactless spatial arrangement by fine-tuning parameters such as frequency, amplitude, and chamber geometry.

Advanced Injectable Human-Derived Microgels for Improved Cell Delivery and Tissue Regeneration.

The development of effective cell delivery therapies faces challenges regarding cell viability and retention after injection. Hydrogel-based materials, designed to mimic extracellular matrix components for cell protection during injection and to enhance local availability, often rely on animal-derived components that raise immunogenicity concerns. Alternatively, those employing polysaccharides and synthetic polymers may exhibit suboptimal cell adhesive properties.

Remote-Controlled Magnetic Stimulation of Cell-Based Bioengineered Tissues for In Situ Bone Regeneration.

The native cell microenvironment activates signaling pathways through mechanotransduction mechanisms, influencing cells' physiological and functional outcomes. Magnetic fields are explored to manipulate these environments, and magnetic nanoparticles (MNPs) are highlighted as nano-instructive agents capable of activating key signaling pathways, presenting exciting possibilities in tissue engineering. Still, the ability to precisely control the assembly and differentiation of stem cells within a dynamically responsive microenvironment, crucial for effective tissue regeneration, remains unexplored.

Roadmap for animate matter.

Humanity has long sought inspiration from nature to innovate materials and devices. As science advances, nature-inspired materials are becoming part of our lives. Animate materials, characterized by their activity, adaptability, and autonomy, emulate properties of living systems.

Innervating 3D in vitro models: bioengineering and design blueprints.

Innervation plays a key role in tissue homeostasis, disease, and repair throughout our lifetimes. Strategies for emulating innervation and its bioinstructive influence on surrounding cells are thus highly desirable to upgrade the organotypic features of human in vitro models. We delve into the latest strategies for generating innervated 3D models that mimic native innervation patterns, and highlight recent advances in bioengineering living platforms for emulating the effect of innervation during tissue regeneration or for recapitulating tumor-nerve interplay.

Metabolic markers detect early ostedifferentiation of mesenchymal stem cells from multiple donors.

Background: Mesenchymal stem cells (MSC) are pivotal bioengineering tools, offering significant promise for applications in bone regeneration. However, their therapeutic potential is limited by inter-donor variability and experimental issues. This study aimed to identify robust metabolic markers of osteodifferentiation applicable across multiple donors, while providing insight into the metabolic pathways actively involved in the process.

Injectable and self-healable supramolecular hydrogels assembled by quaternised chitosan/alginate polyelectrolyte complexation for sustained drug delivery and cell encapsulation.

Hydrogels formed through phase separation during the complexation of oppositely charged polymers have unique properties, including fast self-assembly, hierarchical microstructures, and tunable properties. These features make them highly attractive materials for various biomedical applications, such as drug delivery, protective coatings, and surface adhesives. Notably, injectable polyelectrolyte complex (PEC) supramolecular hydrogels stand out for their minimally invasive administration and reduced trauma and side effects, providing attractive alternatives to covalent hydrogels, which are constrained by the irreversibility of their crosslinks, limiting their versatility and broader applicability.

Advances in abiotic tissue-based biomaterials: A focus on decellularization and devitalization techniques.

This Review explores the growing and diversifying field of tissue-derived abiotic constructs for tissue engineering applications, with main focus on decellularization and devitalization techniques and principles. Acellular fractions derived from biological tissues, such as the extracellular matrix (ECM), have long been considered a valuable approach for the generation of numerous scaffolds and more complex constructs. The removal of the cellular content has been considered essential to prevent the development of adverse immunological reactions.

Unveiling the Potential of Single-Cell Encapsulation in Biomedical Applications: Current Advances and Future Perspectives.

The encapsulation of single cells has emerged as a promising field in recent years, owing to its potential applications in cell-based therapeutics, bioprinting, in vitro cell culture, high-throughput screening, and diagnostics. Single-cell units offer several advantages, including compatibility with standard imaging techniques, superior diffusion rates, and lower material-to-cell volume ratios. They also serve as effective carriers for targeted drug delivery, allowing precise administration of therapeutics in cell-mediated quantities.

Bioengineered Tumor-Stroma Prostate Cancer In Vitro Models for Screening Therapeutics.

Cancer-associated fibroblasts are increasingly recognized to have a high impact on prostate tumor growth and drug resistance. Here, we bioengineered organotypic prostate cancer 3D in vitro models to better understand tumor-stroma interplay, the metabolomic profile underlying such interactions, and their impact on standard-of-care therapeutics performance. The assembly of robust and uniform spheroids was evaluated and compared in monotypic PC-3 and heterotypic microtumors comprised of either a healthy or malignant stroma and prostate cancer cells.

Designer mammalian living materials through genetic engineering.

Emerging genome editing and synthetic biology toolboxes can accurately program mammalian cells behavior from the inside-out. Such engineered living units can be perceived as key building blocks for bioengineering mammalian cell-dense materials, with promising features to be used as living therapeutics for tissue engineering or disease modeling applications. Aiming to reach full control over the code that governs cell behavior, inside-out engineering approaches have potential to fully unlock user-defined living materials encoded with tailored cellular functionalities and spatial arrangements.

Advanced Toolboxes for Cryobioprinting Human Tissue Analogs.

The increasing demand for biofabricating human tissue analogs for therapeutic applications has encouraged the pursuit of innovative techniques that shift from conventional bioprint-to-use approaches toward instantaneous bioprint-cryopreserve strategies. Such enabling concepts and next-generation technologies open new possibilities for fabricating shelf-ready living constructs for applications in regenerative medicine, preclinical disease modeling, and beyond. The generation of living constructs either for short- or long-term cryostorage requires, however, a careful design of cryoprotective bioinks to maximize biofunctionality and limit cell damage during processing.

Single-Cell Liquid-Core Microcapsules for Biomedical Applications.

More recently, single-cell encapsulation emerged as a promising field in biomedicine due to its potential applications, in cell analysis and therapy. Traditional techniques involve embedding cells in crosslinked polymers to create continuous microgels, suitable mainly for adherent cells, or encapsulating them in droplets for only short-term analysis, due to their instability. In this study, we developed a method for encapsulating single cells in liquid-core microcapsules to address these limitations.

Let-7b, miR-29b, and miR-125b as Potential Biomarkers for Differentiating Canine Mammary Carcinoma Histological Types.

Epigenetics is the study of changes in organisms that result from modifications in gene expression rather than alterations in the genetic code itself [...

Silk Sericin/Chitosan Supramolecular Multilayered Thin Films as Sustainable Cytocompatible Nanobiomaterials.

Silk sericin (SS) has been widely discarded as a waste by the silk textile industry during the degumming process to obtain fibroin. However, in the past decade, an in-depth understanding of its properties and functions turned it into a high added-value biomaterial for biomedical applications. Herein, we report the molecular design and development of sustainable supramolecular multilayered nanobiomaterials encompassing SS and oppositely charged chitosan (CHT) through a combination of self-assembly and electrostatically driven layer-by-layer (LbL) assembly technology.

Sacrificial capillary pumps to engineer multiscalar biological forms.

Natural tissues are composed of diverse cells and extracellular materials whose arrangements across several length scales-from subcellular lengths (micrometre) to the organ scale (centimetre)-regulate biological functions. Tissue-fabrication methods have progressed to large constructs, for example, through stereolithography and nozzle-based bioprinting, and subcellular resolution through subtractive photoablation. However, additive bioprinting struggles with sub-nozzle/voxel features and photoablation is restricted to small volumes by prohibitive heat generation and time.