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Cell-Material Interaction 2022

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A special issue of International Journal of Molecular Sciences (ISSN 1422-0067). This special issue belongs to the section "Materials Science".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (30 September 2022) | Viewed by 24882

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Special Issue Editors

Dr. Axel T. Neffe

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Guest Editor

Helmholtz-Zentrum Hereon, Teltow, Germany
Interests: biobased materials; bio-inspired polymers; biofunctionalization; regenerative medicine; drug release; hydrogels; degradable polymers; peptides and peptidomimetics
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Prof. Maike Windbergs

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Department of Pharmacy, Biopharmaceutics and Pharmaceutical Technology, Saarland University, Saarbrücken, Germany
Interests: pharmaceutical technology

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

There is great interest in generating materials guiding cellular behavior in fundamental studies as well as biomedical applications including regenerative medicine. Other than the molecular structure, mechanical properties, degradation behavior, stimulus-sensitivity, specific molecular interactions and the 3D form of materials (e.g., nanoparticles, 3D scaffold, coating, film) are known to have a major influence in this respect. Furthermore, efforts have been made to design advanced biofunctional systems by combining biomaterials with cells (e.g., stem cells, differentiated cells, induced pluripotent stem cells) or drugs. In addition, cellular and protein adsorption to materials may change the material’s biological effect. This highlights that not only the initial material, but its dynamic changes in a biological environment over time is of relevance. Therefore, the design and study of cell-material interactions and understanding of the underlying mechanisms is a continuing effort in the field.

This Special Issue on “Cell–Material Interactions 2022” focuses on several aspects of cell/biomaterial interaction, and we invite contributions of reviews and/or original papers reporting recent efforts in the field of biomaterials applications.

Dr. Axel T. Neffe
Prof. Maike Windbergs
Guest Editors

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 100 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for announcement on this website.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. International Journal of Molecular Sciences is an international peer-reviewed open access semimonthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. There is an Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal. For details about the APC please see here. Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Keywords

cell–material interaction
biomaterials
regenerative medicine
stem cells
cell therapy
nanomedicine
regenerative medicine
cell fate
nanoparticles
3D scaffold
biofunctionalization

Related Special Issue

Biomaterials and Cell–Material Interactions 2023 in International Journal of Molecular Sciences (4 articles)

Published Papers (10 papers)

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Editorial

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3 pages, 533 KiB

Open AccessEditorial

Cell–Material Interactions 2022

by Axel T. Neffe

Int. J. Mol. Sci. 2023, 24(7), 6057; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijms24076057 - 23 Mar 2023

Viewed by 1073

Abstract

Cell–material interactions are the defining feature of biomaterials, and they are relevant for evaluating material residues and pollutants [...] Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Cell-Material Interaction 2022)

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Research

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21 pages, 4886 KiB

Open AccessArticle

The Effects of Mechanical Load on Chondrogenic Responses of Bone Marrow Mesenchymal Stem Cells and Chondrocytes Encapsulated in Chondroitin Sulfate-Based Hydrogel

by Ilona Uzieliene, Daiva Bironaite, Edvardas Bagdonas, Jolita Pachaleva, Arkadij Sobolev, Wei-Bor Tsai, Giedrius Kvederas and Eiva Bernotiene

Int. J. Mol. Sci. 2023, 24(3), 2915; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijms24032915 - 2 Feb 2023

Cited by 5 | Viewed by 2264

Abstract

Articular cartilage is vulnerable to mechanical overload and has limited ability to restore lesions, which leads to the development of chronic diseases such as osteoarthritis (OA). In this study, the chondrogenic responses of human bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells (BMMSCs) and OA cartilage-derived chondrocytes in 3D chondroitin sulfate-tyramine/gelatin (CS-Tyr)/Gel) hydrogels with or without experimental mechanical load have been investigated. Chondrocytes were smaller in size, had slower proliferation rate and higher level of intracellular calcium (iCa²⁺) compared to BMMSCs. Under 3D chondrogenic conditions in CS-Tyr/Gel with or without TGF-β3, chondrocytes more intensively secreted cartilage oligomeric matrix protein (COMP) and expressed collagen type II (COL2A1) and aggrecan (ACAN) genes but were more susceptible to mechanical load compared to BMMSCs. ICa²⁺ was more stably controlled in CS-Tyr/Gel/BMMSCs than in CS-Tyr/Gel/chondrocytes ones, through the expression of L-type channel subunit CaV1.2 (CACNA1C) and Serca2 pump (ATP2A2) genes, and their balance was kept more stable. Due to the lower susceptibility to mechanical load, BMMSCs in CS-Tyr/Gel hydrogel may have an advantage over chondrocytes in application for cartilage regeneration purposes. The mechanical overload related cartilage damage in vivo and the vague regenerative processes of OA chondrocytes might be associated to the inefficient control of iCa²⁺ regulating channels. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Cell-Material Interaction 2022)

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21 pages, 7827 KiB

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Spatial-Controlled Coating of Pro-Angiogenic Proteins on 3D Porous Hydrogels Guides Endothelial Cell Behavior

by Chau Le Bao, Helen Waller, Alessandra Dellaquila, Daniel Peters, Jeremy Lakey, Frédéric Chaubet and Teresa Simon-Yarza

Int. J. Mol. Sci. 2022, 23(23), 14604; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijms232314604 - 23 Nov 2022

Cited by 5 | Viewed by 1520

Abstract

In tissue engineering, the composition and the structural arrangement of molecular components within the extracellular matrix (ECM) determine the physical and biochemical features of a scaffold, which consequently modulate cell behavior and function. The microenvironment of the ECM plays a fundamental role in regulating angiogenesis. Numerous strategies in tissue engineering have attempted to control the spatial cues mimicking in vivo angiogenesis by using simplified systems. The aim of this study was to develop 3D porous crosslinked hydrogels with different spatial presentation of pro-angiogenic molecules to guide endothelial cell (EC) behavior. Hydrogels with pores and preformed microchannels were made with pharmaceutical-grade pullulan and dextran and functionalized with novel pro-angiogenic protein polymers (Caf1-YIGSR and Caf1-VEGF). Hydrogel functionalization was achieved by electrostatic interactions via incorporation of diethylaminoethyl (DEAE)–dextran. Spatial-controlled coating of hydrogels was realized through a combination of freeze-drying and physical absorption with Caf1 molecules. Cells in functionalized scaffolds survived, adhered, and proliferated over seven days. When incorporated alone, Caf1-YIGSR mainly induced cell adhesion and proliferation, whereas Caf1-VEGF promoted cell migration and sprouting. Most importantly, directed cell migration required the presence of both proteins in the microchannel and in the pores, highlighting the need for an adhesive substrate provided by Caf1-YIGSR for Caf1-VEGF to be effective. This study demonstrates the ability to guide EC behavior through spatial control of pro-angiogenic cues for the study of pro-angiogenic signals in 3D and to develop pro-angiogenic implantable materials. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Cell-Material Interaction 2022)

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19 pages, 3388 KiB

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Crosslinked Structure of Polyacrylic Acid Affects Pulmonary Fibrogenicity in Rats

by Taisuke Tomonaga, Chinatsu Nishida, Hiroto Izumi, Naoki Kawai, Ke-Yong Wang, Hidenori Higashi, Jun-Ichi Takeshita, Ryohei Ono, Kazuki Sumiya, Shota Fujii, Yuki Hata, Kazuo Sakurai, Toshiki Morimoto, Yasuyuki Higashi, Kei Yamasaki, Kazuhiro Yatera and Yasuo Morimoto

Int. J. Mol. Sci. 2022, 23(22), 13870; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijms232213870 - 10 Nov 2022

Cited by 3 | Viewed by 1580

Abstract

We conducted intratracheal instillations of polyacrylic acid (PAA) with crosslinking and non-crosslinking into rats in order to examine what kinds of physicochemical characteristics of acrylic-acid-based polymers affect responses in the lung. F344 rats were intratracheally exposed to similar molecular weights of crosslinked PAA (CL-PAA) (degree of crosslinking: ~0.1%) and non-crosslinked PAA (Non-CL-PAA) at low and high doses. Rats were sacrificed at 3 days, 1 week, 1 month, 3 months, and 6 months post-exposure. Both PAAs caused increases in neutrophil influx, cytokine-induced neutrophil chemoattractants (CINC) in the bronchoalveolar lavage fluid (BALF), and heme oxygenase-1 (HO-1) in the lung tissue from 3 days to 6 months following instillation. The release of lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) activity in the BALF was higher in the CL-PAA-exposed groups. Histopathological findings of the lungs demonstrated that the extensive fibrotic changes caused by CL-PAA were also greater than those in exposure to the Non-CL- PAA during the observation period. CL-PAA has more fibrogenicity of the lung, suggesting that crosslinking may be one of the physicochemical characteristic factors of PAA-induced lung disorder. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Cell-Material Interaction 2022)

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20 pages, 8354 KiB

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Effect of Different Molecular Weights of Polyacrylic Acid on Rat Lung Following Intratracheal Instillation

by Chinatsu Nishida, Hiroto Izumi, Taisuke Tomonaga, Ke-Yong Wang, Hidenori Higashi, Jun-Ichi Takeshita, Ryohei Ono, Kazuki Sumiya, Shota Fujii, Yuki Hata, Kazuo Sakurai, Yasuyuki Higashi, Kei Yamasaki, Kazuhiro Yatera and Yasuo Morimoto

Int. J. Mol. Sci. 2022, 23(18), 10345; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijms231810345 - 7 Sep 2022

Cited by 3 | Viewed by 1602

Abstract

Background: We conducted intratracheal instillations of different molecular weights of polyacrylic acid (PAA) into rats in order to examine what kinds of physicochemical characteristics of acrylic acid-based polymer affect responses in the lung. Methods: F344 rats were intratracheally exposed to a high molecular weight (HMW) of 598 thousand g/mol or a low molecular weight (LMW) of 30.9 thousand g/mol PAA at low and high doses. Rats were sacrificed at 3 days, 1 week, 1 month, 3 months and 6 months post exposure. Results: HMW PAA caused persistent increases in neutrophil influx, cytokine-induced neutrophil chemoattractants (CINC) in the bronchoalveolar lavage fluid (BALF), and heme oxygenase-1 (HO-1) in the lung tissue from 3 days to 3 months and 6 months following instillation. On the other hand, LMW PAA caused only transient increases in neutrophil influx, CINC in BALF, and HO-1 in the lung tissue from 3 days to up to 1 week or 1 month following instillation. Histopathological findings of the lungs demonstrated that the extensive inflammation and fibrotic changes caused by the HMW PAA was greater than that in exposure to the LMW PAA during the observation period. Conclusion: HMW PAA induced persistence of lung disorder, suggesting that molecular weight is a physicochemical characteristic of PAA-induced lung disorder. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Cell-Material Interaction 2022)

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18 pages, 5200 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Thermal-Induced Percolation Phenomena and Elasticity of Highly Oriented Electrospun Conductive Nanofibrous Biocomposites for Tissue Engineering

by Muhammad A. Munawar and Dirk W. Schubert

Int. J. Mol. Sci. 2022, 23(15), 8451; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijms23158451 - 30 Jul 2022

Cited by 4 | Viewed by 1848

Abstract

Highly oriented electrospun conductive nanofibrous biocomposites (CNBs) of polylactic acid (PLA) and polyaniline (PANi) are fabricated using electrospinning. At the percolation threshold (φ_c), the growth of continuous paths between PANi particles leads to a steep increase in the electrical conductivity of fibers, and the McLachlan equation is fitted to identify φ_c. Annealing generates additional conductive channels, which lead to higher conductivity for dynamic percolation. For the first time, dynamic percolation is investigated for revealing time-temperature superposition in oriented conductive nanofibrous biocomposites. The crystallinity (χ_c) displays a linear dependence on annealing temperature within the confined fiber of CNBs. The increase in crystallinity due to annealing also increases the Young’s modulus E of CNBs. The present study outlines a reliable approach to determining the conductivity and elasticity of nanofibers that are highly desirable for a wide range of biological tissue applications. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Cell-Material Interaction 2022)

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21 pages, 3555 KiB

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Caffeine-Cyclodextrin Complexes as Solids: Synthesis, Biological and Physicochemical Characterization

by Sebastian Szmeja, Tomasz Gubica, Andrzej Ostrowski, Aldona Zalewska, Łukasz Szeleszczuk, Katarzyna Zawada, Monika Zielińska-Pisklak, Krzysztof Skowronek and Małgorzata Wiweger

Int. J. Mol. Sci. 2021, 22(8), 4191; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijms22084191 - 18 Apr 2021

Cited by 7 | Viewed by 2470

Abstract

Mechanochemical and in-solution synthesis of caffeine complexes with α-, β-, and γ-cyclodextrins was optimized. It was found that short-duration, low-energy cogrinding, and evaporation (instead of freeze-drying) are effective methods for the formation and isolation of these complexes. The products obtained, their pure components, and their mixtures were examined by powder X-ray diffraction (PXRD), differential scanning calorimetry (DSC), FT-IR and Raman spectroscopy. Moreover, molecular modeling provided an improved understanding of the association process between the guest and host molecules in these complexes. The complexes were found to exhibit high toxicity in zebrafish (Danio rerio) embryos, in contrast to pure caffeine and cyclodextrins at the same molar concentrations. HPLC measurements of the caffeine levels in zebrafish embryos showed that the observed cytotoxicity is not caused by an increased caffeine concentration in the body of the organism, as the concentrations are similar regardless of the administered caffeine form. Therefore, the observed high toxicity could be the result of the synergistic effect of caffeine and cyclodextrins. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Cell-Material Interaction 2022)

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Review

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36 pages, 5572 KiB

Open AccessReview

Optical Biosensor Based on Graphene and Its Derivatives for Detecting Biomolecules

by Guangmin Ji, Jingkun Tian, Fei Xing and Yu Feng

Int. J. Mol. Sci. 2022, 23(18), 10838; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijms231810838 - 16 Sep 2022

Cited by 13 | Viewed by 3207

Abstract

Graphene and its derivatives show great potential for biosensing due to their extraordinary optical, electrical and physical properties. In particular, graphene and its derivatives have excellent optical properties such as broadband and tunable absorption, fluorescence bursts, and strong polarization-related effects. Optical biosensors based on graphene and its derivatives make nondestructive detection of biomolecules possible. The focus of this paper is to review the preparation of graphene and its derivatives, as well as recent advances in optical biosensors based on graphene and its derivatives. The working principle of face plasmon resonance (SPR), surface-enhanced Raman spectroscopy (SERS), fluorescence resonance energy transfer (FRET) and colorimetric sensors are summarized, and the advantages and disadvantages of graphene and its derivatives applicable to various types of sensors are analyzed, and the methods of surface functionalization of graphene and its derivatives are introduced; these optical biosensors can be used for the detection of a range of biomolecules such as single cells, cellular secretions, proteins, nucleic acids, and antigen-antibodies; these new high-performance optical sensors are capable of detecting changes in surface structure and biomolecular interactions with the advantages of ultra-fast detection, high sensitivity, label-free, specific recognition, and the ability to respond in real-time. Problems in the current stage of application are discussed, as well as future prospects for graphene and its biosensors. Achieving the applicability, reusability and low cost of novel optical biosensors for a variety of complex environments and achieving scale-up production, which still faces serious challenges. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Cell-Material Interaction 2022)

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27 pages, 1032 KiB

Open AccessReview

Quantum Dots and Their Interaction with Biological Systems

by Nhi Le, Min Zhang and Kyoungtae Kim

Int. J. Mol. Sci. 2022, 23(18), 10763; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijms231810763 - 15 Sep 2022

Cited by 24 | Viewed by 4423

Abstract

Quantum dots are nanocrystals with bright and tunable fluorescence. Due to their unique property, quantum dots are sought after for their potential in several applications in biomedical sciences as well as industrial use. However, concerns regarding QDs’ toxicity toward the environment and other biological systems have been rising rapidly in the past decade. In this mini-review, we summarize the most up-to-date details regarding quantum dots’ impacts, as well as QDs’ interaction with mammalian organisms, fungal organisms, and plants at the cellular, tissue, and organismal level. We also provide details about QDs’ cellular uptake and trafficking, and QDs’ general interactions with biological structures. In this mini-review, we aim to provide a better understanding of our current standing in the research of quantum dots, point out some knowledge gaps in the field, and provide hints for potential future research. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Cell-Material Interaction 2022)

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18 pages, 1696 KiB

Open AccessReview

Is There Enough Evidence to Support the Role of Glycosaminoglycans and Proteoglycans in Thoracic Aortic Aneurysm and Dissection?—A Systematic Review

by Pratik Rai, Lucy Robinson, Hannah A. Davies, Riaz Akhtar, Mark Field and Jillian Madine

Int. J. Mol. Sci. 2022, 23(16), 9200; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijms23169200 - 16 Aug 2022

Cited by 4 | Viewed by 3975

Abstract

Altered proteoglycan (PG) and glycosaminoglycan (GAG) distribution within the aortic wall has been implicated in thoracic aortic aneurysm and dissection (TAAD). This review was conducted to identify literature reporting the presence, distribution and role of PGs and GAGs in the normal aorta and differences associated with sporadic TAAD to address the question; is there enough evidence to establish the role of GAGs/PGs in TAAD? 75 studies were included, divided into normal aorta (n = 51) and TAAD (n = 24). There is contradictory data regarding changes in GAGs upon ageing; most studies reported an increase in GAG sub-types, often followed by a decrease upon further ageing. Fourteen studies reported changes in PG/GAG or associated degradation enzyme levels in TAAD, with most increased in disease tissue or serum. We conclude that despite being present at relatively low abundance in the aortic wall, PGs and GAGs play an important role in extracellular matrix maintenance, with differences observed upon ageing and in association with TAAD. However, there is currently insufficient information to establish a cause-effect relationship with an underlying mechanistic understanding of these changes requiring further investigation. Increased PG presence in serum associated with aortic disease highlights the future potential of these biomolecules as diagnostic or prognostic biomarkers. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Cell-Material Interaction 2022)

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