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Special Issue "Future Trends in Biomaterials and Devices for Cells and Tissues"

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: 30 September 2021.

Special Issue Editors

Dr. Loredana De Bartolo
E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
CNR- Istituto per la Tecnologia delle Membrane, Rende, Italy
Interests: bioreactors; membranes; interfaces; bioartificial organs/tissues; cell–material interactions
Special Issues and Collections in MDPI journals
Dr. Antonella Piscioneri
E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
CNR- Istituto per la Tecnologia delle Membrane, Rende, Italy
Interests: tissue engineering; disease modeling; membrane devices; biomimetic cell culture systems
Prof. Dr. Seeram Ramakrishna
grade E-Mail Website
Guest Editor

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Research strategies are focusing on new bioinspired approaches for the design of biomaterials and devices to be used for repairing and/or regenerating tissues and organs as well as for creating in vitro physiologically relevant models. More importantly, biomaterials can be designed to exhibit ECM micro- to nanoscale of chemistry and topography providing physical, chemical, and mechanical signals to the cells that generate the appropriate responses for the formation of a new organ or tissue. It is a proof of concept that the intrinsic characteristic of the biomaterials (e.g., topography, elastic modulus, chemistry, morphology) strongly influences and modulates the expansion and differentiation of cells in a 3D microenvironment. The complexity of the natural cellular environment can be recapitulated using devices such as bioreactors and microfluidic platforms overcoming limitations of the traditional culture systems and allowing a continuous perfusion of cells with nutrients and metabolites and the removal of catabolites and specific products. This system mimicking the venous and arterious network holds the homeostasis of the cellular environment, in combination with highly sensitive biosensors, which permit detecting and controlling the biological analytes. This Special Issue aims to enphasize current advances in bioinspired/biomimetic materials and devices providing insights into how they can be translated into cutting-edge biomedical applications.

Smart multifunctional and intelligent biomaterials with instructive, inductive, and triggering properties able to activate tissue regeneration can be fabricated using natural and synthetic polymers and inorganic and/or composites with an array of processing methods and technologies. This article collection offers an exploration of the latest trends in the development of different interfaces and devices for tissue/organ repair and regeneration. Innovative investigations on new biomimetic tissues and organs for drug testing/delivery and disease modeling will also be included. This Special Issue will include original articles as well as reviews on these topics.

Dr. Loredana De Bartolo
Dr. Antonella Piscioneri
Prof. Dr. Seeram Ramakrishna
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 papers will be 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

  • Biomaterials
  • Bioreactors
  • Microfluidic devices
  • Biomimetic interfaces
  • Biofabrication
  • Nanomaterials
  • Self-assembling
  • Microtissues: organoids/spheroids
  • 2D materials and 3D scaffolds
  • Biofunctionalization
  • In vitro culture systems
  • Cell–material interactions
  • Disease modelling
  • Drug testing/delivery
  • Intelligent biomaterials

Published Papers (5 papers)

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Research

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Article
Inhibition of Tunneling Nanotubes between Cancer Cell and the Endothelium Alters the Metastatic Phenotype
Int. J. Mol. Sci. 2021, 22(11), 6161; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijms22116161 - 07 Jun 2021
Viewed by 835
Abstract
The interaction of tumor cells with blood vessels is one of the key steps during cancer metastasis. Metastatic cancer cells exhibit phenotypic state changes during this interaction: (1) they form tunneling nanotubes (TNTs) with endothelial cells, which act as a conduit for intercellular [...] Read more.
The interaction of tumor cells with blood vessels is one of the key steps during cancer metastasis. Metastatic cancer cells exhibit phenotypic state changes during this interaction: (1) they form tunneling nanotubes (TNTs) with endothelial cells, which act as a conduit for intercellular communication; and (2) metastatic cancer cells change in order to acquire an elongated phenotype, instead of the classical cellular aggregates or mammosphere-like structures, which it forms in three-dimensional cultures. Here, we demonstrate mechanistically that a siRNA-based knockdown of the exocyst complex protein Sec3 inhibits TNT formation. Furthermore, a set of pharmacological inhibitors for Rho GTPase–exocyst complex-mediated cytoskeletal remodeling is introduced, which inhibits TNT formation, and induces the reversal of the more invasive phenotype of cancer cell (spindle-like) into a less invasive phenotype (cellular aggregates or mammosphere). Our results offer mechanistic insights into this nanoscale communication and shift of phenotypic state during cancer–endothelial interactions. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Future Trends in Biomaterials and Devices for Cells and Tissues)
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Article
Heparin-Tagged PLA-PEG Copolymer-Encapsulated Biochanin A-Loaded (Mg/Al) LDH Nanoparticles Recommended for Non-Thrombogenic and Anti-Proliferative Stent Coating
Int. J. Mol. Sci. 2021, 22(11), 5433; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijms22115433 - 21 May 2021
Viewed by 476
Abstract
Drug-eluting stents have been widely implanted to prevent neointimal hyperplasia associated with bare metal stents. Conventional polymers and anti-proliferative drugs suffer from stent thrombosis due to the non-selective nature of the drugs and hypersensitivity to polymer degradation products. Alternatively, various herbal anti-proliferative agents [...] Read more.
Drug-eluting stents have been widely implanted to prevent neointimal hyperplasia associated with bare metal stents. Conventional polymers and anti-proliferative drugs suffer from stent thrombosis due to the non-selective nature of the drugs and hypersensitivity to polymer degradation products. Alternatively, various herbal anti-proliferative agents are sought, of which biochanin A (an isoflavone phytoestrogen) was known to have anti-proliferative and vasculoprotective action. PLA-PEG diblock copolymer was tagged with heparin, whose degradation releases heparin locally and prevents thrombosis. To get a controlled drug release, biochanin A was loaded in layered double hydroxide nanoparticles (LDH), which are further encapsulated in a heparin-tagged PLA-PEG copolymer. LDH nanoparticles are synthesized by a co-precipitation process; in situ as well as ex situ loading of biochanin A were done. PLA-PEG-heparin copolymer was synthesized by esterification reaction, and the drug-loaded nanoparticles are coated. The formulation was characterized by FTIR, XRD, DSC, DLS, and TEM. In vitro drug release studies, protein adhesion, wettability, hemocompatibility, and degradation studies were performed. The drug release was modeled by mathematical models to further emphasize the mechanism of drug release. The developed drug-eluting stent coating is non-thrombogenic, and it offers close to zero-order release for 40 days, with complete polymer degradation in 14 weeks. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Future Trends in Biomaterials and Devices for Cells and Tissues)
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Article
Venous and Arterial Endothelial Cells from Human Umbilical Cords: Potential Cell Sources for Cardiovascular Research
Int. J. Mol. Sci. 2021, 22(2), 978; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijms22020978 - 19 Jan 2021
Viewed by 800
Abstract
Although cardiovascular devices are mostly implanted in arteries or to replace arteries, in vitro studies on implant endothelialization are commonly performed with human umbilical cord-derived venous endothelial cells (HUVEC). In light of considerable differences, both morphologically and functionally, between arterial and venous endothelial [...] Read more.
Although cardiovascular devices are mostly implanted in arteries or to replace arteries, in vitro studies on implant endothelialization are commonly performed with human umbilical cord-derived venous endothelial cells (HUVEC). In light of considerable differences, both morphologically and functionally, between arterial and venous endothelial cells, we here compare HUVEC and human umbilical cord-derived arterial endothelial cells (HUAEC) regarding their equivalence as an endothelial cell in vitro model for cardiovascular research. No differences were found in either for the tested parameters. The metabolic activity and lactate dehydrogenase, an indicator for the membrane integrity, slightly decreased over seven days of cultivation upon normalization to the cell number. The amount of secreted nitrite and nitrate, as well as prostacyclin per cell, also decreased slightly over time. Thromboxane B2 was secreted in constant amounts per cell at all time points. The Von Willebrand factor remained mainly intracellularly up to seven days of cultivation. In contrast, collagen and laminin were secreted into the extracellular space with increasing cell density. Based on these results one might argue that both cell types are equally suited for cardiovascular research. However, future studies should investigate further cell functionalities, and whether arterial endothelial cells from implantation-relevant areas, such as coronary arteries in the heart, are superior to umbilical cord-derived endothelial cells. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Future Trends in Biomaterials and Devices for Cells and Tissues)
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Review

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Review
pHEMA: An Overview for Biomedical Applications
Int. J. Mol. Sci. 2021, 22(12), 6376; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijms22126376 - 15 Jun 2021
Viewed by 683
Abstract
Poly(2-hydroxyethyl methacrylate) (pHEMA) as a biomaterial with excellent biocompatibility and cytocompatibility elicits a minimal immunological response from host tissue making it desirable for different biomedical applications. This article seeks to provide an in-depth overview of the properties and biomedical applications of pHEMA for [...] Read more.
Poly(2-hydroxyethyl methacrylate) (pHEMA) as a biomaterial with excellent biocompatibility and cytocompatibility elicits a minimal immunological response from host tissue making it desirable for different biomedical applications. This article seeks to provide an in-depth overview of the properties and biomedical applications of pHEMA for bone tissue regeneration, wound healing, cancer therapy (stimuli and non-stimuli responsive systems), and ophthalmic applications (contact lenses and ocular drug delivery). As this polymer has been widely applied in ophthalmic applications, a specific consideration has been devoted to this field. Pure pHEMA does not possess antimicrobial properties and the site where the biomedical device is employed may be susceptible to microbial infections. Therefore, antimicrobial strategies such as the use of silver nanoparticles, antibiotics, and antimicrobial agents can be utilized to protect against infections. Therefore, the antimicrobial strategies besides the drug delivery applications of pHEMA were covered. With continuous research and advancement in science and technology, the outlook of pHEMA is promising as it will most certainly be utilized in more biomedical applications in the near future. The aim of this review was to bring together state-of-the-art research on pHEMA and their applications. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Future Trends in Biomaterials and Devices for Cells and Tissues)
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Review
3D Bioprinting of Human Tissues: Biofabrication, Bioinks, and Bioreactors
Int. J. Mol. Sci. 2021, 22(8), 3971; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijms22083971 - 12 Apr 2021
Cited by 1 | Viewed by 930
Abstract
The field of tissue engineering has progressed tremendously over the past few decades in its ability to fabricate functional tissue substitutes for regenerative medicine and pharmaceutical research. Conventional scaffold-based approaches are limited in their capacity to produce constructs with the functionality and complexity [...] Read more.
The field of tissue engineering has progressed tremendously over the past few decades in its ability to fabricate functional tissue substitutes for regenerative medicine and pharmaceutical research. Conventional scaffold-based approaches are limited in their capacity to produce constructs with the functionality and complexity of native tissue. Three-dimensional (3D) bioprinting offers exciting prospects for scaffolds fabrication, as it allows precise placement of cells, biochemical factors, and biomaterials in a layer-by-layer process. Compared with traditional scaffold fabrication approaches, 3D bioprinting is better to mimic the complex microstructures of biological tissues and accurately control the distribution of cells. Here, we describe recent technological advances in bio-fabrication focusing on 3D bioprinting processes for tissue engineering from data processing to bioprinting, mainly inkjet, laser, and extrusion-based technique. We then review the associated bioink formulation for 3D bioprinting of human tissues, including biomaterials, cells, and growth factors selection. The key bioink properties for successful bioprinting of human tissue were summarized. After bioprinting, the cells are generally devoid of any exposure to fluid mechanical cues, such as fluid shear stress, tension, and compression, which are crucial for tissue development and function in health and disease. The bioreactor can serve as a simulator to aid in the development of engineering human tissues from in vitro maturation of 3D cell-laden scaffolds. We then describe some of the most common bioreactors found in the engineering of several functional tissues, such as bone, cartilage, and cardiovascular applications. In the end, we conclude with a brief insight into present limitations and future developments on the application of 3D bioprinting and bioreactor systems for engineering human tissue. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Future Trends in Biomaterials and Devices for Cells and Tissues)
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