Surface functionalization of TiO2 nanotubes with minocycline and its in vitro biological effects on Schwann cells

Exploring the Physicochemical, Electroactive, and Biodelivery Properties of Metal Nanoparticles on Peripheral Nerve Regeneration

Despite the advances in the regeneration/rehabilitation field of damaged tissues, the functional recovery of peripheral nerves (PNs), especially in a long gap injury, is considered a great medical challenge. Recent progress in nanomedicine has provided great hope for PN regeneration through the strategy of controlling cell behavior by metal nanoparticles individually or loaded on scaffolds/conduits. Despite the confirmed toxicity of metal nanoparticles due to long-term accumulation in nontarget tissues, they play a role in the damaged PN regeneration based on the topography modification of scaffolds/conduits, enhancing neurotrophic factor secretion, the ion flow improvement, and the regulation of electrical signals. Determining the fate of neural progenitor cells would be a major achievement in PN regeneration, which seems to be achievable by metal nanoparticles through altering cell vital approaches and controlling their functions. Therefore, in this literature, an attempt was made to provide an overview of the effective activities of metal nanoparticles on the PN regeneration, until the vital clues of the PN regeneration and how they are changed by metal nanoparticles are revealed to the researcher.

Ciprofloxacin-Loaded Titanium Nanotubes Coated with Chitosan: A Promising Formulation with Sustained Release and Enhanced Antibacterial Properties

Due to their high entrapment efficiency, anodized titanium nanotubes (TiO2-NTs) are considered effective reservoirs for loading/releasing strong antibiotics whose systemic administration is associated with diverse and severe side-effects. In this study, TiO2-NTs were synthesized by anodic oxidation of titanium foils, and the effects of electrolyte percentage and viscosity on their dimensions were evaluated. It was found that as the water content increased from 15 to 30%, the wall thickness, length, and inner diameter of the NTs increase from 5.9 to 15.8 nm, 1.56 to 3.21 µm, and 59 to 84 nm, respectively. Ciprofloxacin, a highly potent antibiotic, was loaded into TiO2-NTs with a high encapsulation efficiency of 93%, followed by coating with different chitosan layers to achieve a sustained release profile. The prepared formulations were characterized by various techniques, such as scanning electron microscopy, differential scanning calorimetry, and contact measurement. In vitro release studies showed that the higher the chitosan layer count, the more sustained the release. Evaluation of antimicrobial activity of the formulation against two endodontic species from Peptostreptococcus and Fusobacterium revealed minimum inhibitory concentrations (MICs) of 1 µg/mL for the former and the latter. To summarize, this study demonstrated that TiO2-NTs are promising reservoirs for drug loading, and that the chitosan coating provides not only a sustained release profile, but also a synergistic antibacterial effect.

Current Understanding of Osteoimmunology in Certain Osteoimmune Diseases

The skeletal system and immune system seem to be two independent systems. However, there in fact are extensive and multiple crosstalk between them. The concept of osteoimmunology was created to describe those interdisciplinary events, but it has been constantly updated over time. In this review, we summarize the interactions between the skeletal and immune systems in the co-development of the two systems and the progress of certain typical bone abnormalities and bone regeneration on the cellular and molecular levels according to the mainstream novel study. At the end of the review, we also highlighted the possibility of extending the research scope of osteoimmunology to other systemic diseases. In conclusion, we propose that osteoimmunology is a promising perspective to uncover the mechanism of related diseases; meanwhile, a study from the point of view of osteoimmunology may also provide innovative ideas and resolutions to achieve the balance of internal homeostasis.

Nanomaterial integration into the scaffolding materials for nerve tissue engineering: a review

The nervous system, which consists of a complex network of millions of neurons, is one of the most highly intricate systems in the body. This complex network is responsible for the physiological and cognitive functions of the human body. Following injuries or degenerative diseases, damage to the nervous system is overwhelming because of its complexity and its limited regeneration capacity. However, neural tissue engineering currently has some capacities for repairing nerve deficits and promoting neural regeneration, with more developments in the future. Nevertheless, controlling the guidance of stem cell proliferation and differentiation is a challenging step towards this goal. Nanomaterials have the potential for the guidance of the stem cells towards the neural lineage which can overcome the pitfalls of the classical methods since they provide a unique microenvironment that facilitates cell-matrix and cell-cell interaction, and they can manipulate the cell signaling mechanisms to control stem cells' fate. In this article, the suitable cell sources and microenvironment cues for neuronal tissue engineering were examined. Afterward, the nanomaterials that impact stem cell proliferation and differentiation towards neuronal lineage were reviewed.

Nonwoven fabric supported, chitosan membrane anchored with curcumin/TiO2 complex: Scaffolds for MRSA infected wound skin reconstruction

Use of biomaterial scaffolds as drug carriers for infected wounds treatment is of wide scope. A series of curcumin/TiO₂ complex loaded chitosan scaffolds are fabricated for the same. Synthesized wound dressing material is screened for their morphology, water absorption capacity; in vitro drug release patterns, in vitro antibacterial studies against gram +ve and a gram -ve bacteria, cell viability for 3T3-L1 cell lines as well as in vivo MRSA infected wound healing capability. Formation of curcumin/TiO₂ complex was confirmed by X-ray diffraction studies, the anchoring pattern of them on the chitosan scaffold was analyzed by FESEM and EDS mapping. All membranes showed a better performance towards in vitro antibacterial and in vivo wound healing properties than the control ones in 14 days. The bacterial count on wound for a regular time period was measured and the scaffold with higher amount of curcumin in its complex is found to give the better performance, along with skin regeneration due to synergistic effect of curcumin and TiO₂.