Development of oriented nanofibrous silk guide for repair of nerve defects

Photo Cross-linkable Biopolymers for Cornea Tissue Healing

Light can act as an effective and strong agent for the cross-linking of biomaterials and tissues and is recognized as a safe substitute for chemical cross-linkers to modify mechanical and physical properties and promote biocompatibility. This review focuses on the research about cross-linked biomaterials with different radiation sources such as Laser or Ultraviolet (UV) that can be applied as scaffolds, controlled release systems, and tissue adhesives for cornea healing and tissue regeneration.

Applications of bacteria and their derived biomaterials for repair and tissue regeneration

Microorganisms such as bacteria and their derived biopolymers can be used in biomaterials and tissue regeneration. Various methods have been applied to regenerate damaged tissues, but using probiotics and biomaterials derived from bacteria with improved economic-production efficiency and highly applicable properties can be a new solution in tissue regeneration. Bacteria can synthesize numerous types of biopolymers. These biopolymers possess many desirable properties such as biocompatibility and biodegradability, making them good candidates for tissue regeneration. Here, we reviewed different types of bacterial-derived biopolymers and highlight their applications for tissue regeneration.

An Overview of Chitosan Nanofibers and their Applications in the Drug Delivery Process

Chitosan is a polycationic natural polymer which is abundant in nature. Chitosan has gained much attention as natural polymer in the biomedical field. The up to date drug delivery as well as the nanotechnology in controlled release of drugs from chitosan nanofibers are focused in this review. Electrospinning is one of the most established and widely used techniques for preparing nanofibers. This method is versatile and efficient for the production of continuous nanofibers. The chitosan-based nanofibers are emerging materials in the arena of biomaterials. Recent studies revealed that various drugs such as antibiotics, chemotherapeutic agents, proteins and anti-inflammatory analgesic drugs were successfully loaded onto electrospun nanofibers. Chitosan nanofibers have several outstanding properties for different significant pharmaceutical applications such as wound dressing, tissue engineering, enzyme immobilization, and drug delivery systems. This review highlights different issues of chitosan nanofibers in drug delivery applications, starting from the preparation of chitosan nanofibers, followed by giving an idea about the biocompatibility and degradation of chitosan nanofibers, then describing how to load the drug into the nanofibers. Finally, the major applications of chitosan nanofibers in drug delivery systems.

Silk-Graphene Hybrid Hydrogels with Multiple Cues to Induce Nerve Cell Behavior

Cell behavior is dependent in part on chemical and physical cues from the extracellular matrix. Although the influence of various cues on cell behavior has been studied, challenges remain to incorporate multiple cues to matrix systems to optimize and control cell outcomes. Here, aligned silk fibroin (SF)-graphene hydrogels with preferable stiffness were developed through arranging SF nanofibers and SF-modified graphene sheets under an electric field. Different signals, such as bioactive graphene, nanofibrous structure, aligned topography, and mechanical stiffness, were tailored into the hydrogel system, providing niches for nerve cell responses. The desired adhesion, proliferation, differentiation, extensio,n and growth factor secretion of multiple nerve-related cells was achieved on these hydrogels, suggesting strong synergistic action through the combination of different cues. Based on the fabrication strategy, our present study provides a useful materials engineering platform for revealing cooperative influences of different signals on nerve cell behavior, to help in the understanding of cell-biomaterial interactions, with potential toward studies related to nerve regeneration.

3D bio-printing technology for body tissues and organs regeneration

In the last decade, the use of new technologies in the reconstruction of body tissues has greatly developed. Utilising stem cell technology, nanotechnology and scaffolding design has created new opportunities in tissue regeneration. The use of accurate engineering design in the creation of scaffolds, including 3D printers, has been widely considered. Three-dimensional printers, especially high precision bio-printers, have opened up a new way in the design of 3D tissue engineering scaffolds. In this article, a review of the latest applications of this technology in this promising area has been addressed.