PLLA/POSS Nanofibers Loaded with Multitargeted pANG Composite Nanoparticles for Promotion of Vascularization in Shear Flow

Recent Biomedical Applications of Functional Materials Based on Polyhedral Oligomeric Silsesquioxane (POSS)

Polyhedral oligomeric silsesquioxane (POSS) is a 3D, cage-like nanoparticle with an inorganic Si-O-Si core and eight tunable corner functional groups. Its well-defined structure grants it distinctive physical, chemical, and biological properties and has been widely used for preparing high-performance materials. Recently, click chemistry has enabled the synthesis of various functional POSS-based materials for diverse biomedical applications. This article reviews the recent applications of POSS-based materials in the biomedical field, including cancer treatment, tissue engineering, antibacterial use, and biomedical imaging. Representative examples are discussed in detail. Among the various POSS-based applications, cancer treatment and tissue engineering are the most important. Finally, this review presents the current limitations of POSS-based materials and provides guidance for future research.

Designing electrospun fiber platforms for efficient delivery of genetic material and genome editing tools

Electrospun fibers are versatile biomaterial platforms with great potential to support regeneration. Electrospun fiber characteristics such as fiber diameter, degree of alignment, rate of degradation, and surface chemistry enable the creation of unique, tunable scaffolds for various drug or gene delivery applications. The delivery of genetic material and genome editing tools via viral and non-viral vectors are approaches to control cellular protein production. However, immunogenicity, off-target effects, and low delivery efficiencies slow the progression of gene delivery strategies to clinical settings. The delivery of genetic material from electrospun fibers overcomes such limitations by allowing for localized, tunable delivery of genetic material. However, the process of electrospinning is harsh, and care must be taken to retain genetic material bioactivity. This review presents an up-to-date summary of strategies to incorporate genetic material onto or within electrospun fiber platforms to improve delivery efficiency and enhance the regenerative potential of electrospun fibers for various tissue engineering applications.

Recent advances in inhibiting atherosclerosis and restenosis: from pathogenic factors, therapeutic agents to nano-delivery strategies

Due to dominant atherosclerosis etiology, cardiovascular diseases (CVDs) remain the leading cause of morbidity and mortality worldwide. In clinical trials, advanced atherosclerotic plaques can be removed by angioplasty and vascular...

PLLA-gelatin composite fiber membranes incorporated with functionalized CeNPs as a sustainable wound dressing substitute promoting skin regeneration and scar remodelling

The need of wound dressing material that can accelerate wound healing is increasing and will last a long time. In this study, Cerium Oxide Nanoparticles (CeNPs) incorporated poly-L-lactic acid (PLLA)-gelatin...

Neovascularization of engineered tissues for clinical translation: Where we are, where we should be?

One of the key challenges in engineering three-dimensional tissue constructs is the development of a mature microvascular network capable of supplying sufficient oxygen and nutrients to the tissue. Recent angiogenic therapeutic strategies have focused on vascularization of the constructed tissue, and its integration in vitro; these strategies typically combine regenerative cells, growth factors (GFs) with custom-designed biomaterials. However, the field needs to progress in the clinical translation of tissue engineering strategies. The article first presents a detailed description of the steps in neovascularization and the roles of extracellular matrix elements such as GFs in angiogenesis. It then delves into decellularization, cell, and GF-based strategies employed thus far for therapeutic angiogenesis, with a particularly detailed examination of different methods by which GFs are delivered in biomaterial scaffolds. Finally, interdisciplinary approaches involving advancement in biomaterials science and current state of technological development in fabrication techniques are critically evaluated, and a list of remaining challenges is presented that need to be solved for successful translation to the clinics.