Physical and biological properties of electrospun poly(d,l-lactide)/nanoclay and poly(d,l-lactide)/nanosilica nanofibrous scaffold for bone tissue engineering

A Novel Tumor on Chip Mimicking the Breast Cancer Microenvironment for Dynamic Drug Screening

In light of the emerging breakthroughs in cancer biology, drug discovery, and personalized medicine, Tumor-on-Chip (ToC) platforms have become pivotal tools in current biomedical research. This study introduced a novel rapid prototyping approach for the fabrication of a ToC device using laser-patterned poly(methyl methacrylate) (PMMA) layers integrated with a polylactic acid (PLA) electrospun scaffold, enabling dynamic drug delivery and the assessment of therapeutic efficacy in cancer cells. Traditional drug screening methods, such as conventional cell cultures, mimic certain aspects of cancer progression but fail to capture critical features of the tumor microenvironment (TME). While animal models offer a closer approximation of tumor complexity, they are limited in their ability to predict human drug responses. Here, we evaluated the ability of our ToC device to recapitulate the interactions between cancer and TME cells and its efficacy in evaluating the drug response of breast cancer cells. The functional design of the proposed ToC system offered substantial potential for a wide range of applications in cancer research, significantly accelerating the preclinical assessment of new therapeutic agents.

Polylactic Acid/Bamboo Leaf Extract Electrospun Mats with Antioxidant Activity for Food Packaging Applications

This study focuses on developing an active and biodegradable packaging using electrospinning, with polylactic acid (PLA) as the matrix and bamboo leaf extract (BLE) as the antioxidant compound. The research systematically evaluates the relationship among process parameters, material properties, and structure. The electrospun membranes were produced using different BLE contents (10 wt%, 20 wt%, 30 wt%, and 40 wt%) and characterized by their morphology, mechanical properties, wettability, and antioxidant activity. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) revealed BLE's influence on fiber morphology, with a slight increase in diameter in PLA/BLE at 10% and 20%, attributed to higher viscosity. Conversely, PLA/BLE 30% and 40% showed a mild reduction in fiber diameter likely due to polyphenols' capacity to enhance PLA chain mobility. Mechanical tests indicated proportional reductions in modulus, maximum stress, and strain at break, upon increasing the BLE concentration, although these parameters are still suitable for packaging applications. The decrease in modulus is attributed to polyphenol capacity to increase PLA chain mobility, while increased fragility results from embedded particles acting as local defects. Wettability tests demonstrated increased hydrophilicity with higher BLE content. Total polyphenol content, estimated through FOLIN assay, increased proportionally with incorporated BLE, impacting antioxidant properties assessed via FRAP assay.

Electrospun PCL/Alginate/Nanoclay Nerve Conduit with Olfactory Ectomesenchymal Stem Cells for Nerve Regeneration

Biocompatible and biodegradable nerve growth conduits (NGCs) provide a promising alternative to conventional nerve grafting for peripheral nerve regeneration. Incorporating nanoclay (NC) has been shown to increase the hydrophilicity and flexibility of polymeric scaffolds. In the present study, poly caprolactone-alginate (PCL-ALG) conduits with varying percentages of NC (0.1%, 0.2%, and 0.5%) were fabricated using the electrospinning technique. The conduit containing 0.5% NC showed a greater increase in elongation (33%) and porosity, reaching 95% with the lowest contact angle (10°). For in vitro, human olfactory ectomesenchymal stem cells (OE-MSCs) were used as a favorable choice for neuronal differentiation owing to the origin from the neural crest. The viability and proliferation of OE-MSCs were maintained after 5 days on scaffolds with 0.5% NC, as confirmed by the MTT assay, cell adhesion analysis, and live/dead staining. Furthermore, the impact of 0.5% PCL-ALG-NC on the paracrine activity of OE-MSCs was studied for a period of 7 days. Our results indicated that human OE-MSCs, when cocultured with PC12 cells on NGC, have the capability to release nerve growth factor levels of up to 1392.83 pg/mL. In summary, the electrospun PCL-ALG conduit containing an optimal NC dosage (0.5%) and seeded with human OE-MSCs shows promising outcomes as NGC scaffold for peripheral nerve regeneration.

Drug-Loaded Bioscaffolds for Osteochondral Regeneration

Osteochondral defect is a complex tissue loss disease caused by arthritis, high-energy trauma, and many other reasons. Due to the unique structural characteristics of osteochondral tissue, the repair process is sophisticated and involves the regeneration of both hyaline cartilage and subchondral bone. However, the current clinical treatments often fall short of achieving the desired outcomes. Tissue engineering bioscaffolds, especially those created via three-dimensional (3D) printing, offer promising solutions for osteochondral defects due to their precisely controllable 3D structures. The microstructure of 3D-printed bioscaffolds provides an excellent physical environment for cell adhesion and proliferation, as well as nutrient transport. Traditional 3D-printed bioscaffolds offer mere physical stimulation, while drug-loaded 3D bioscaffolds accelerate the tissue repair process by synergistically combining drug therapy with physical stimulation. In this review, the physiological characteristics of osteochondral tissue and current treatments of osteochondral defect were reviewed. Subsequently, the latest progress in drug-loaded bioscaffolds was discussed and highlighted in terms of classification, characteristics, and applications. The perspectives of scaffold design, drug control release, and biosafety were also discussed. We hope this article will serve as a valuable reference for the design and development of osteochondral regenerative bioscaffolds and pave the way for the use of drug-loaded bioscaffolds in clinical therapy.

MXenes-polymer nanocomposites for biomedical applications: fundamentals and future perspectives

The article discusses the promising synergy between MXenes and polymers in developing advanced nanocomposites with diverse applications in biomedicine domains. MXenes, possessing exceptional properties, are integrated into polymer matrices through various synthesis and fabrication methods. These nanocomposites find applications in drug delivery, imaging, diagnostics, and environmental remediation. They offer improved therapeutic efficacy and reduced side effects in drug delivery, enhanced sensitivity and specificity in imaging and diagnostics, and effectiveness in water purification and pollutant removal. The perspective also addresses challenges like biocompatibility and toxicity, while suggesting future research directions. In totality, it highlights the transformative potential of MXenes-polymer nanocomposites in addressing critical issues across various fields.

Eco-friendly bio-nanocomposites: pioneering sustainable biomedical advancements in engineering

Biomedical nanocomposites, which are an upcoming breed of mischievous materials, have ushered in a new dimension in the healthcare sector. Incorporating these materials tends to boost features this component already possesses and give might to things these components could not withstand alone. The biopolymer, which carries the nanoparticles, can simultaneously improve the composite's stiffness and biological characteristics, and vice versa. This increases the options of the composite and the number of times it can be used. The bio-nanocomposites and nanoparticles enable the ecocompatibility of the medicine in their biodegradability, and they, in this way, have ecological sustainability. The outcome is the improved properties of medicine and its associated positive impact on the environment. They have broad applications in antimicrobial agents, drug carriers, tissue regeneration, wound care, dentistry, bioimaging, and bone filler, among others. The dissertation on the elements of bio-nanocomposites emphasizes production techniques, their diverse applications in medicine, match-up issues, and future-boasting prospects in the bio-nanocomposites field. Through the utilization of such materials, scientists can develop more suitable for the environment and healthy biomedical solutions, and world healthcare in this way improves as well.

Improvement of Osteogenic Differentiation of Mouse Pre-Osteoblastic MC3T3-E1 Cells on Core-Shell Polylactic Acid/Chitosan Electrospun Scaffolds for Bone Defect Repair

Electrospun hybrid scaffolds composed of synthetic and natural polymers have gained increasing interest in tissue engineering applications over the last decade. In this work, scaffolds composed of polylactic acid electrospun fibers, either treated (P-PLA) or non-treated (PLA) with air-plasma, were coated with high molecular weight chitosan to create a core-shell microfibrous structure. The effective thickness control of the chitosan layer was confirmed by gravimetric, spectroscopic (FTIR-ATR) and morphological (SEM) investigations. The chitosan coating increased the fiber diameter of the microfibrous scaffolds while the tensile mechanical tests, conducted in dry and wet environments, showed a reinforcing action of the coating layer on the scaffolds, in particular when deposited on P-PLA samples. The stability of the Chi coating on both PLA and P-PLA substrates was confirmed by gravimetric analysis, while their mineralization capacity was evaluated though scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and energy-dispersive spectroscopy (EDS) after immersing the scaffolds in simulated body fluids (SBF) at 37 °C for 1 week. Sample biocompatibility was investigated through cell viability assay and SEM analysis on mouse pre-osteoblastic MC3T3-E1 cells grown on scaffolds at different times (1, 7, 14 and 21 days). Finally, Alizarin Red assay and qPCR analysis suggested that the combination of plasma treatment and chitosan coating on PLA electrospun scaffolds influences the osteoblastic differentiation of MC3T3-E1 cells, thus demonstrating the great potential of P-PLA/chitosan hybrid scaffolds for bone tissue engineering applications.

Electrospun Scaffolds Enriched with Nanoparticle-Associated DNA: General Properties, DNA Release and Cell Transfection

Biomaterial-mediated, spatially localized gene delivery is important for the development of cell-populated scaffolds used in tissue engineering. Cells adhering to or penetrating into such a scaffold are to be transfected with a preloaded gene that induces the production of secreted proteins or cell reprogramming. In the present study, we produced silica nanoparticles-associated pDNA and electrospun scaffolds loaded with such nanoparticles, and studied the release of pDNA from scaffolds and cell-to-scaffold interactions in terms of cell viability and pDNA transfection efficacy. The pDNA-coated nanoparticles were characterized with dynamic light scattering and transmission electron microscopy. Particle sizes ranging from 56 to 78 nm were indicative of their potential for cell transfection. The scaffolds were characterized using scanning electron microscopy, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, stress-loading tests and interaction with HEK293T cells. It was found that the properties of materials and the pDNA released vary, depending on the scaffold's composition. The scaffolds loaded with pDNA-nanoparticles do not have a pronounced cytotoxic effect, and can be recommended for cell transfection. It was found that (pDNA-NPs) + PEI9-loaded scaffold demonstrates good potential for cell transfection. Thus, electrospun scaffolds suitable for the transfection of inhabiting cells are eligible for use in tissue engineering.

Role of silk nanocrystal (SNC)-ZnO as an antibacterial nucleating nanohybrid for a patterned mimic poly(lactic acid) based nanofabric

This new investigation deals with the synthesis of an organic-inorganic nanohybrid using SNC with magnificent flower bud-shaped ZnO, termed SNC-ZnO by precipitation method. The nanohybrid (with concentrations 1 wt%, 3 wt%, and 5 wt%) was in situ incorporated into the PLA matrix to prepare the electrospun solution. The functionalized PLA composite nanofibres produced by electrospinning with SNC-ZnO nanohybrid were systematically studied using different structural and morphological analyses to meet the challenging processing requirements. The FESEM analysis gives an average diameter of nanofibres 246 ± 10.2 nm where nanohybrid tends to adhere on the surface of the PLA nanofabric increasing hydrophobicity up to water contact angle 135.3 ± 0.25 °C with 5 wt% nanohybrid incorporation. The nanofabric has significant antibacterial activity against E.Coli and S.Aureus bacteria. Further, an extensive study has been made on thermally stipulated processes using DSC on non-isothermal crystallization kinetics using different models: Avrami, Ozawa, Mo, and Tobin. The results revealed sites for heterogeneous nucleation and improvement in crystallinity, t_1/2, and nucleation effects due to the incorporation of crystalline nanohybrid in PLA nanofibres. Further, the Avrami plot has confirmed both primary and secondary crystallization processes thereby considering its potential to utilize functionalized PLA nanofabric for applications in protective textile.

Green and Integrated Wearable Electrochemical Sensor for Chloride Detection in Sweat

Wearable sensors for sweat biomarkers can provide facile analyte capability and monitoring for several diseases. In this work, a green wearable sensor for sweat absorption and chloride sensing is presented. In order to produce a sustainable device, polylactic acid (PLA) was used for both the substrate and the sweat absorption pad fabrication. The sensor material for chloride detection consisted of silver-based reference, working, and counter electrodes obtained from upcycled compact discs. The PLA substrates were prepared by thermal bonding of PLA sheets obtained via a flat die extruder, prototyped in single functional layers via CO₂ laser cutting, and bonded via hot-press. The effect of cold plasma treatment on the transparency and bonding strength of PLA sheets was investigated. The PLA membrane, to act as a sweat absorption pad, was directly deposited onto the membrane holder layer by means of an electrolyte-assisted electrospinning technique. The membrane adhesion capacity was investigated by indentation tests in both dry and wet modes. The integrated device made of PLA and silver-based electrodes was used to quantify chloride ions. The calibration tests revealed that the proposed sensor platform could quantify chloride ions in a sensitive and reproducible way. The chloride ions were also quantified in a real sweat sample collected from a healthy volunteer. Therefore, we demonstrated the feasibility of a green and integrated sweat sensor that can be applied directly on human skin to quantify chloride ions.

Composite Coatings of Chitosan and Silver Nanoparticles Obtained by Galvanic Deposition for Orthopedic Implants

In this work, composite coatings of chitosan and silver nanoparticles were presented as an antibacterial coating for orthopedic implants. Coatings were deposited on AISI 304L using the galvanic deposition method. In galvanic deposition, the difference of the electrochemical redox potential between two metals (the substrate and a sacrificial anode) has the pivotal role in the process. In the coupling of these two metals a spontaneous redox reaction occurs and thus no external power supply is necessary. Using this process, a uniform deposition on the exposed area and a good adherence of the composite coating on the metallic substrate were achieved. Physical-chemical characterizations were carried out to evaluate morphology, chemical composition, and the presence of silver nanoparticles. These characterizations have shown the deposition of coatings with homogenous and porous surface structures with silver nanoparticles incorporated and distributed into the polymeric matrix. Corrosion tests were also carried out in a simulated body fluid at 37 °C in order to simulate the same physiological conditions. Corrosion potential and corrosion current density were obtained from the polarization curves by Tafel extrapolation. The results show an improvement in protection against corrosion phenomena compared to bare AISI 304L. Furthermore, the ability of the coating to release the Ag+ was evaluated in the simulated body fluid at 37 °C and it was found that the release mechanism switches from anomalous to diffusion controlled after 3 h.

Poly(lactic acid)-Based Electrospun Fibrous Structures for Biomedical Applications

Poly(lactic acid)(PLA) is an aliphatic polyester that can be derived from natural and renewable resources. Owing to favorable features, such as biocompatibility, biodegradability, good thermal and mechanical performance, and processability, PLA has been considered as one of the most promising biopolymers for biomedical applications. Particularly, electrospun PLA nanofibers with distinguishing characteristics, such as similarity to the extracellular matrix, large specific surface area and high porosity with small pore size and tunable mechanical properties for diverse applications, have recently given rise to advanced spillovers in the medical area. A variety of PLA-based nanofibrous structures have been explored for biomedical purposes, such as wound dressing, drug delivery systems, and tissue engineering scaffolds. This review highlights the recent advances in electrospinning of PLA-based structures for biomedical applications. It also gives a comprehensive discussion about the promising approaches suggested for optimizing the electrospun PLA nanofibrous structures towards the design of specific medical devices with appropriate physical, mechanical and biological functions.

Poly-l-Lactic Acid (PLLA)-Based Biomaterials for Regenerative Medicine: A Review on Processing and Applications

Synthetic biopolymers are effective cues to replace damaged tissue in the tissue engineering (TE) field, both for in vitro and in vivo application. Among them, poly-l-lactic acid (PLLA) has been highlighted as a biomaterial with tunable mechanical properties and biodegradability that allows for the fabrication of porous scaffolds with different micro/nanostructures via various approaches. In this review, we discuss the structure of PLLA, its main properties, and the most recent advances in overcoming its hydrophobic, synthetic nature, which limits biological signaling and protein absorption. With this aim, PLLA-based scaffolds can be exposed to surface modification or combined with other biomaterials, such as natural or synthetic polymers and bioceramics. Further, various fabrication technologies, such as phase separation, electrospinning, and 3D printing, of PLLA-based scaffolds are scrutinized along with the in vitro and in vivo applications employed in various tissue repair strategies. Overall, this review focuses on the properties and applications of PLLA in the TE field, finally affording an insight into future directions and challenges to address an effective improvement of scaffold properties.

Polymer-Based Nanofiber-Nanoparticle Hybrids and Their Medical Applications

The search for higher-quality nanomaterials for medicinal applications continues. There are similarities between electrospun fibers and natural tissues. This property has enabled electrospun fibers to make significant progress in medical applications. However, electrospun fibers are limited to tissue scaffolding applications. When nanoparticles and nanofibers are combined, the composite material can perform more functions, such as photothermal, magnetic response, biosensing, antibacterial, drug delivery and biosensing. To prepare nanofiber and nanoparticle hybrids (NNHs), there are two primary ways. The electrospinning technology was used to produce NNHs in a single step. An alternate way is to use a self-assembly technique to create nanoparticles in fibers. This paper describes the creation of NNHs from routinely used biocompatible polymer composites. Single-step procedures and self-assembly methodologies are used to discuss the preparation of NNHs. It combines recent research discoveries to focus on the application of NNHs in drug release, antibacterial, and tissue engineering in the last two years.

Encapsulation of Natural Bioactive Compounds by Electrospinning-Applications in Food Storage and Safety

Packaging is used to protect foods from environmental influences and microbial contamination to maintain the quality and safety of commercial food products, to avoid their spoilage and to extend their shelf life. In this respect, bioactive packaging is developing to additionally provides antibacterial and antioxidant activity with the same goals i.e., extending the shelf life while ensuring safety of the food products. New solutions are designed using natural antimicrobial and antioxidant agents such as essential oils, some polysaccharides, natural inorganic nanoparticles (nanoclays, oxides, metals as silver) incorporated/encapsulated into appropriate carriers in order to be used in food packaging. Electrospinning/electrospraying are receiving attention as encapsulation methods due to their cost-effectiveness, versatility and scalability. The electrospun nanofibers and electro-sprayed nanoparticles can preserve the functionality and protect the encapsulated bioactive compounds (BC). In this review are summarized recent results regarding applications of nanostructured suitable materials containing essential oils for food safety.

Fibers by Electrospinning and Their Emerging Applications in Bone Tissue Engineering

Bone tissue engineering (BTE) is an optimized approach for bone regeneration to overcome the disadvantages of lacking donors. Biocompatibility, biodegradability, simulation of extracellular matrix (ECM), and excellent mechanical properties are essential characteristics of BTE scaffold, sometimes including drug loading capacity. Electrospinning is a simple technique to prepare fibrous scaffolds because of its efficiency, adaptability, and flexible preparation of electrospinning solution. Recent studies about electrospinning in BTE are summarized in this review. First, we summarized various types of polymers used in electrospinning and methods of electrospinning in recent work. Then, we divided them into three parts according to their main role in BTE, (1) ECM simulation, (2) mechanical support, and (3) drug delivery system.

Biomaterials for Soft Tissue Repair and Regeneration: A Focus on Italian Research in the Field

Tissue repair and regeneration is an interdisciplinary field focusing on developing bioactive substitutes aimed at restoring pristine functions of damaged, diseased tissues. Biomaterials, intended as those materials compatible with living tissues after in vivo administration, play a pivotal role in this area and they have been successfully studied and developed for several years. Namely, the researches focus on improving bio-inert biomaterials that well integrate in living tissues with no or minimal tissue response, or bioactive materials that influence biological response, stimulating new tissue re-growth. This review aims to gather and introduce, in the context of Italian scientific community, cutting-edge advancements in biomaterial science applied to tissue repair and regeneration. After introducing tissue repair and regeneration, the review focuses on biodegradable and biocompatible biomaterials such as collagen, polysaccharides, silk proteins, polyesters and their derivatives, characterized by the most promising outputs in biomedical science. Attention is pointed out also to those biomaterials exerting peculiar activities, e.g., antibacterial. The regulatory frame applied to pre-clinical and early clinical studies is also outlined by distinguishing between Advanced Therapy Medicinal Products and Medical Devices.

Solution-Based Processing for Scaffold Fabrication in Tissue Engineering Applications: A Brief Review

The fabrication of 3D scaffolds is under wide investigation in tissue engineering (TE) because of its incessant development of new advanced technologies and the improvement of traditional processes. Currently, scientific and clinical research focuses on scaffold characterization to restore the function of missing or damaged tissues. A key for suitable scaffold production is the guarantee of an interconnected porous structure that allows the cells to grow as in native tissue. The fabrication techniques should meet the appropriate requirements, including feasible reproducibility and time- and cost-effective assets. This is necessary for easy processability, which is associated with the large range of biomaterials supporting the use of fabrication technologies. This paper presents a review of scaffold fabrication methods starting from polymer solutions that provide highly porous structures under controlled process parameters. In this review, general information of solution-based technologies, including freeze-drying, thermally or diffusion induced phase separation (TIPS or DIPS), and electrospinning, are presented, along with an overview of their technological strategies and applications. Furthermore, the differences in the fabricated constructs in terms of pore size and distribution, porosity, morphology, and mechanical and biological properties, are clarified and critically reviewed. Then, the combination of these techniques for obtaining scaffolds is described, offering the advantages of mimicking the unique architecture of tissues and organs that are intrinsically difficult to design.

Core-shell PLA/Kef hybrid scaffolds for skin tissue engineering applications prepared by direct kefiran coating on PLA electrospun fibers optimized via air-plasma treatment

Over the recent years, there is a growing interest in electrospun hybrid scaffolds composed of synthetic and natural polymers that can support cell attachment and proliferation. In this work, the physical and biological properties of polylactic acid (PLA) electrospun mats coated with kefiran (Kef) were evaluated. Gravimetric, spectroscopic (FTIR-ATR) and morphological investigations via scanning electron microscopy confirmed the effective formation of a thin kefiran layer wrapped on the PLA fibers with an easy-tunable thickness. Air plasma pre-treatment carried out on PLA (P-PLA) affected both the morphology and the crystallinity of Kef coating as confirmed by differential scanning calorimetry and X-ray diffraction analyses. Scaffolds were mechanically characterized with tensile tests to evaluate the reinforcing action of the Kef coating. The water resistance of Kefiran coating in distilled water at 37 °C evaluated on both PLA/Kef and P-PLA/Kef was carried out by gravimetric and morphological analyses. Finally, cell culture assays with embryonic fibroblast cells were conducted on selected hybrid scaffolds to compare the cell proliferation, morphology, and collagen production with PLA and P-PLA electrospun scaffolds. Based on the results, we can demonstrate that direct coating of PLA from Kef/water solutions is an effective approach to prepare hybrid scaffolds with tunable properties and that the plasma pre-treatment enhances the affinity between PLA and Kefiran. In vitro tests demonstrated the great potential of PLA/Kef hybrid scaffolds for skin tissue engineering.