Differentiation of Bone Mesenchymal Stem Cells Into Vascular Endothelial Cell-Like Cells Using Functionalized Single-Walled Carbon Nanotubes

Advances in the study of single-walled carbon nanotubes in ophthalmology

With the rapid development of nanotechnology, the application of nanomaterials in the medical field shows unprecedented potential and innovative prospects. In particular, single-walled carbon nanotubes (SWCNTs), due to their unique physicochemical properties such as high surface area, excellent thermal and electrical properties, high surface/volume aspect ratio, and high tensile strength, show great potential for application in biomedical and biotechnological fields. Ophthalmology, as a branch of medicine that requires great precision and innovation, is gradually becoming one of the hotspots for nanotechnology applications. Although the research and application of nanomaterials in ophthalmology have made some progress, the potential of SWCNTs in ophthalmology has not yet been explored. This paper is a comprehensive review of the applications of nanomaterials in ophthalmology, including their use in drug delivery, antimicrobials, imaging, tissue repair, and photodynamic therapy, and further explores the similar roles of SWCNTs in other medical fields, thus speculating on their potentially important value in ophthalmic research.

Metal ions and nanomaterials for targeted bone cancer immunotherapy

Bone cancer remains a significant challenge in oncology, with limited success in current therapeutic approaches, particularly immunotherapy. Emerging research highlights the potential of integrating metal ions and nanomaterials for targeted immunotherapy in bone cancer. Metal ions, including calcium, magnesium, and zinc, play a significant role in modulating immune responses within the tumor microenvironment, affecting essential pathways necessary for immune activation. Meanwhile, nanomaterials, particularly metallic nanoparticles, offer precise drug delivery and immune system modulation, improving the efficacy of immunotherapeutic agents. This review explores the synergistic effects of metal ion-nanomaterial conjugates, discussing their role in enhancing immune cell activation, particularly T-cells and macrophages, and their potential for controlled drug release. We highlight preclinical advancements in bone cancer treatment using metal ion-responsive nanoparticles, and address current challenges such as biocompatibility and toxicity. Finally, we discuss the future prospects of these technologies in personalized and precision medicine, aiming to revolutionize bone cancer immunotherapy.

The Differentiation and Regeneration Potential of ABCB5+ Mesenchymal Stem Cells: A Review and Clinical Perspectives

Mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) are a family of multipotent stem cells that show self-renewal under proliferation, multilineage differentiation, immunomodulation, and trophic function. Thus, these cells, such as adipose tissue-derived mesenchymal stem cells (ADSCs), bone marrow-derived MSCs (BM-MSCs), and umbilical cord-derived mesenchymal stem cells (UC-MSCs), carry great promise for novel clinical treatment options. However, the challenges associated with the isolation of MSCs and the instability of their in vitro expansion remain significant barriers to their clinical application. The plasma membrane-spanning P-glycoprotein ATP-binding cassette subfamily B member 5 positive MSCs (ABCB5+ MSCs) derived from human skin specimens offer a distinctive advantage over other MSCs. They can be easily extracted from the dermis and expanded. In culture, ABCB5+ MSCs demonstrate robust innate homeostasis and a classic trilineage differentiation. Additionally, their ability to modulate the recipients' immune system highlights their potential for allogeneic applications in regenerative medicine. In this review, we primarily discuss the differentiation potential of ABCB5+ MSCs and their perspectives in regenerative medicine.

Effects of mechanical properties of carbon-based nanocomposites on scaffolds for tissue engineering applications: a comprehensive review

Mechanical properties, such as elasticity modulus, tensile strength, elongation, hardness, density, creep, toughness, brittleness, durability, stiffness, creep rupture, corrosion and wear, a low coefficient of thermal expansion, and fatigue limit, are some of the most important features of a biomaterial in tissue engineering applications. Furthermore, the scaffolds used in tissue engineering must exhibit mechanical and biological behaviour close to the target tissue. Thus, a variety of materials has been studied for enhancing the mechanical performance of composites. Carbon-based nanostructures, such as graphene oxide (GO), reduced graphene oxide (rGO), carbon nanotubes (CNTs), fibrous carbon nanostructures, and nanodiamonds (NDs), have shown great potential for this purpose. This is owing to their biocompatibility, high chemical and physical stability, ease of functionalization, and numerous surface functional groups with the capability to form covalent bonds and electrostatic interactions with other components in the composite, thus significantly enhancing their mechanical properties. Considering the outstanding capabilities of carbon nanostructures in enhancing the mechanical properties of biocomposites and increasing their applicability in tissue engineering and the lack of comprehensive studies on their biosafety and role in increasing the mechanical behaviour of scaffolds, a comprehensive review on carbon nanostructures is provided in this study.

The dark side of adipose-derived mesenchymal stromal cells in cutaneous oncology: roles, expectations, and potential pitfalls

Adipose-derived stromal cells (ADSCs) have well-established regenerative and immunomodulatory properties. For such reasons, ADSCs are currently under investigation for their use in the setting of both regenerative medicine and autoimmune diseases. As per dermatological disorders, MSC-based strategies represent potential therapeutic tools not only for chronic ulcers and wound healing, but also for immune-mediated dermatoses. However, a growing body of research has been focusing on the role of MSCs in human cancers, due to the potential oncological risk of using MSC-based strategies linked to their anti-apoptotic, pro-angiogenic and immunosuppressive properties. In the dermatological setting, ADSCs have shown not only to promote melanoma growth and invasiveness, but also to induce drug-resistance. On the other hand, genetically modified ADSCs have been demonstrated to efficiently target therapies at tumor sites, due to their migratory properties and their peculiar tropism for cancer microenvironment. The present review briefly summarizes the findings published so far on the use of ADSCs in the dermato-oncological setting, with the majority of data being available for melanoma.