Biofabrication Technologies for Tissue Repair and Regeneration

Topic Information

Dear Colleagues,

Recent breakthroughs in biofabrication are transforming the field of tissue repair and regeneration through the creation of biomimetic constructs that replicate the complexity of native tissue. Advanced techniques—particularly 3D bioprinting, alongside unidirectional freeze-drying, electrospinning, and two-photon lithography—now enable precise control over cell placement, matrix composition, and bioactive cues, producing architectures with tailored mechanical, biochemical, and electrical properties.

The integration of stimuli-responsive nanomaterials, including piezoelectric, plasmonic, and magneto-responsive systems, adds dynamic functionality, converting external stimuli into biochemical signals that regulate cell behavior, modulate inflammation, and accelerate tissue regeneration. This synergy between high-resolution bioprinting and smart nanomaterials is paving the way for adaptive scaffolds capable of on-demand drug delivery, mechanical actuation, and localized bioelectrical stimulation.

This Topic aims to collate cutting-edge research at the intersection of additive manufacturing and stimuli-responsive biomaterials, highlighting the next generation of active, patient-specific constructs poised to redefine regenerative medicine.

Dr. Lorenzo Vannozzi
Dr. Eugenio Redolfi Riva
Topic Editors

Keywords

Participating Journals

Journal Name	Impact Factor	CiteScore	Launched Year	First Decision (median)	APC
Biomimetics biomimetics	4.2	6.2	2016	13.5 Days	CHF 2200	Submit
Biomolecules biomolecules	5.6	9.3	2011	16.6 Days	CHF 2700	Submit
Biophysica biophysica	1.8	2.6	2021	19.1 Days	CHF 1200	Submit
Cells cells	6.0	11.4	2012	14.9 Days	CHF 2700	Submit
International Journal of Molecular Sciences ijms	5.6	10.0	2000	17.5 Days	CHF 2900	Submit
Materials materials	3.7	7.0	2008	14.4 Days	CHF 2600	Submit
Micro micro	2.4	4.0	2021	20.4 Days	CHF 1200	Submit

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All Biophysica Cells IJMS Materials Micro Biomimetics Biomolecules

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Open AccessArticle

The Reconstitution of the Macrophage Niche Reveals Dynamic Transcriptional and Renal Macrophage–Epithelial Communication Networks

by Mohammad Islamuddin, Lixuan Ji, Yilin Chen, Kejing Song, Calder R. Ellsworth, Jack Rappaport, Chenxiao Wang, Shumei Liu, Jay Kolls, Xiaojiang Xu and Xuebin Qin

Cells 2026, 15(12), 1102; https://doi.org/10.3390/cells15121102 - 18 Jun 2026

Viewed by 543

Abstract

Renal-resident macrophages (RMs) are essential regulators of kidney homeostasis and repair, yet the mechanisms governing RM niche regeneration after acute depletion remain poorly defined. To overcome these limitations, we have developed an inducible human CD59- intermedilysin (hCD59-ILY) ablation system, enabling rapid, specific, and [...] Read more.

Renal-resident macrophages (RMs) are essential regulators of kidney homeostasis and repair, yet the mechanisms governing RM niche regeneration after acute depletion remain poorly defined. To overcome these limitations, we have developed an inducible human CD59- intermedilysin (hCD59-ILY) ablation system, enabling rapid, specific, and reversible depletion of targeted macrophage populations, and subsequent replenishment of RMs, followed by longitudinal scRNA-seq analysis of kidneys at baseline and days 1, 3, and 7 post-ablation. RM ablation triggered a rapid and sustained upregulation of Cx3cl1, predominantly in proximal tubular epithelial cells (PTC1/PTC2), establishing a persistent chemotactic niche signal that coincided with macrophage repopulation. Regenerating RMs transitioned from inflammatory/stress-associated states toward metabolically active and proliferative phenotypes enriched in glycolysis, oxidative phosphorylation, MYC, and cell-cycle programs, with attenuation of canonical inflammatory pathways. Cell–cell communication analysis revealed an early burst of intercellular signaling at day 1, followed by progressive normalization, with fibronectin (Fn1), osteopontin (Spp1), chemokine (Ccl), and amyloid precursor protein (App) axes emerging as key mediators of niche restoration. Transcriptional network analysis identified a conserved regulatory module (Tfe3, Mitf, Hif1a, Myc, Gabpa, Rcor1) coordinating macrophage differentiation and regenerative programming, linking metabolic adaptation to lineage reconstitution. Sub-clustering revealed five dynamically shifting RM subsets with distinct inflammatory, remodeling, proliferative, and surveillance states, reflecting a hierarchical regeneration process. Functional validation using clodronate-mediated depletion in Secreted Phosphoprotein 1 (Spp1) (Opn)-deficient mice demonstrated impaired macrophage repopulation, establishing osteopontin as a critical regulator of RM regeneration. Together, these data define a coordinated epithelial–immune circuit in which Cx3cl1-driven chemotaxis, Spp1-dependent signaling, and a core transcriptional network orchestrate macrophage niche reconstitution and kidney repair following acute immune cell ablation. Full article

(This article belongs to the Topic Biofabrication Technologies for Tissue Repair and Regeneration)

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