Article
Engineering, Biomedical
Hongkui Wang, Ping Zhang, Panjian Lu, Xiaodong Cai, Gang Wang, Xi Xu, Ying Liu, Tianyi Huang, Meiyuan Li, Tianmei Qian, Hui Zhu, Chengbin Xue
Summary: In this study, a subcutaneously pre-vascularized tissue-engineered nerve graft (TENG) was developed using a vascular endothelial growth factor-induced host vascular network, chitosan nerve conduit, and inserted silk fibroin fibers. The functionality of regenerated blood vessels was confirmed through various imaging techniques and 3D reconstruction. Pre-vascularized TENG facilitated rapid vascular inosculation and enhanced the migration of vascular endothelial cells (VECs) and Schwann cells (SCs), promoting axonal regrowth and remyelination. The transplantation of pre-vascularized TENG resulted in the recovery of electrophysiological function and prevention of muscle atrophy.
MATERIALS TODAY BIO
(2023)
Article
Chemistry, Multidisciplinary
Zengjie Zhang, Fangqian Wang, Xin Huang, Hangxiang Sun, Jianxiang Xu, Hao Qu, Xiaobo Yan, Wei Shi, Wangsiyuan Teng, Xiaoqiang Jin, Zhenxuan Shao, Yongxing Zhang, Shenzhi Zhao, Yan Wu, Zhaoming Ye, Xiaohua Yu
Summary: The role of sensory innervation in bone homeostasis is often overlooked in bone repair strategies. This study proposes a neuromodulation approach that uses engineered sensory nerves (eSN) to optimize bone defect healing by leveraging the adaptive capabilities of sensory neurons. The release of NGF from ECM-constructed eSN promotes sensory neuron differentiation and enhances CGRP secretion, leading to improved mobility of RAOECs and osteogenic differentiation of BMSCs. The eSN approach effectively drives ossification in vivo through the NGF-TrkA signaling pathway, accelerating the healing of critical size bone defects. It also suppresses excessive bone formation and promotes bone remodeling by activating osteoclasts via a CGRP-dependent mechanism when combined with BMP-2 delivery, mitigating the side effects of BMP-2. Overall, this eSN approach offers a valuable avenue for optimizing bone homeostasis in various clinical scenarios by harnessing the adaptive role of the neural system.
Article
Engineering, Biomedical
Kenneth J. Furdella, Shinichi Higuchi, Ali Behrangzade, Kang Kim, William R. Wagner, Jonathan P. Vande Geest
Summary: The study demonstrates the importance of compliance matching in tissue engineered vascular grafts (TEVGs) for improved acute remodeling. Compliance matched grafts showed better performance in vivo compared to hypocompliant grafts, resulting in reduced inflammation and improved cellular infiltration. The use of computational optimization approaches in designing TEVGs enhances their mechanical properties and overall success in coronary artery bypass surgery.
ACTA BIOMATERIALIA
(2021)
Article
Engineering, Biomedical
Eric W. Atkinson, Cary A. Kuliasha, Mary Kasper, Abbas Furniturewalla, Alexander S. Lim, Ladan Jiracek-Sapieha, Alexis Brake, Anne Gormaley, Victor Rivera-Llabres, Ishita Singh, Benjamin Spearman, Carlos M. Rinaldi-Ramos, Christine E. Schmidt, Jack W. Judy, Kevin J. Otto
Summary: This study investigated the in vivo functionality of the MARTEENI device as a potential approach to improving current issues in peripheral nerve interfaces. The results showed that the MARTEENI device exhibited channel-isolated activity in acute, chronic, and terminal experiments, with regenerating axons surrounding the device threads. These findings suggest that the MARTEENI device is a promising approach for interfacing with peripheral nerves.
JOURNAL OF NEURAL ENGINEERING
(2022)
Review
Dentistry, Oral Surgery & Medicine
Nontawat Chuinsiri, David Edwards, Vsevolod Telezhkin, Christopher J. Nile, Frederic Van der Cruyssen, Justin Durham
Summary: This systematic review focused on changes in neuropeptide expression following trigeminal neuropathic pain in animal models, with CGRP and substance P being the most frequently reported neuropeptides. However, included studies showed varying levels of bias risk, ranging from unclear to high.
ARCHIVES OF ORAL BIOLOGY
(2021)
Article
Neurosciences
Meiyuan Li, Xiyang Cheng, Shuyue Feng, Hui Zhu, Panjian Lu, Ping Zhang, Xiaodong Cai, Pingping Qiao, Xiaosong Gu, Gang Wang, Chengbin Xue, Hongkui Wang
Summary: Prevascularization strategies are important in tissue engineering. Skin precursor-derived Schwann cells (SKP-SCs) have shown potential in constructing prevascularized tissue-engineered peripheral nerves. Silk fibroin scaffolds seeded with SKP-SCs were prevascularized through implantation and assembled with a chitosan conduit. SKP-SCs expressed pro-angiogenic factors and significantly accelerated prevascularization compared to VEGF, showing superior short-term nerve regeneration.
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Juan Yan, Haoran Xiao, Xin Zhou, Yanzhao Li, Shanlan Zhao, Xingli Zhao, Yong Liu, Min Liu, Fangchao Xue, Qiao Zhang, Wenyan Zhao, Lang Li, Yang Su, Wen Zeng
Summary: Calcification of autologous pathological vessels and tissue engineering blood vessels is a significant clinical challenge. Gli1(+) cells play a role in vascular calcification, and an anticalcification approach utilizing exosomes derived from mesenchymal stem cells delivering lncRNA-ANCR was developed. This approach effectively targeted Gli1(+) cells, inhibited their differentiation into osteoblast-like cells, and prevented vascular calcification.
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Michele Fornaro, Christopher Dipollina, Darryl Giambalvo, Robert Garcia, Casey Sigerson, Harsh Sharthiya, Claire Liu, Paul F. Nealey, Kolbrun Kristjansdottir, Joshua Z. Gasiorowski
Summary: Peripheral nerve injury disrupts axons, leading to exposure to a new environment during regeneration. Strategies to enhance and control axonal regeneration often involve mimicking natural nerve environment cues, such as nano- and micropatterned substrates. By using anisotropic, groove-patterned substrates, enhanced and directed growth of sensory axons can be achieved, potentially opening new avenues for translational development in vivo.
Article
Urology & Nephrology
Martin Hofmann, Erica Huang, Linda My Huynh, Kamaljot Kaler, Simone Vernez, Adam Gordon, Blanca Morales, Douglas Skarecky, Thomas E. Ahlering
Summary: This study compared the impact of athermal technique (AT) and touch cautery (TC) on erectile function recovery during radical prostatectomy. The results showed that during transection of prostatic vascular pedicles and dissection of neurovascular bundles, TC did not significantly affect erectile function recovery compared to AT.
Article
Biophysics
Marcos Latorre, Jason M. Szafron, Abhay B. Ramachandra, Jay D. Humphrey
Summary: Advancements in tissue engineering methods have led to ongoing clinical trials evaluating tissue engineered vascular grafts. The need to design grafts with optimal performance, including growth and remodeling capabilities in response to hemodynamic changes, is now urgent. An efficient FSG model has been introduced to describe the development of TEVGs, utilizing simplifying concepts to aid in initial design considerations involving optimization methods.
BIOMECHANICS AND MODELING IN MECHANOBIOLOGY
(2022)
Article
Engineering, Biomedical
Lior Debbi, Barak Zohar, Margarita Shuhmaher, Yulia Shandalov, Idit Goldfracht, Shulamit Levenberg
Summary: By combining living cells, biological hydrogel, and biodegradable synthetic polymer, a multi-scale vascular network within thick, implantable engineered tissues was successfully fabricated in this study. The functionality and patency of the multi-scale vascular network were demonstrated by dextran passage and physiological flow conditions, leading to significant improvements in blood perfusion compared to control micro-scale-vascularized grafts. This innovative approach of designing and fabricating multi-scale vascular architectures within 3D engineered tissues shows promise for both in vitro models and therapeutic translation research.
Article
Engineering, Biomedical
Yanzhao Li, Yeqin Wang, Fangchao Xue, Xuli Feng, Zhaojing Ba, Junjie Chen, Zhenhua Zhou, Yanhong Wang, Ge Guan, Guanyuan Yang, Ziwei Xi, Hao Tian, Yong Liu, Ju Tan, Gang Li, Xiewan Chen, Mingcan Yang, Wen Chen, Chuhong Zhu, Wen Zeng
Summary: Inspired by the bionic regulation of nerves on blood vessels, researchers discovered that released neural exosomes can inhibit the abnormal transformation of vascular smooth muscle cells, addressing the issue of intimal hyperplasia in small-diameter tissue-engineered vascular grafts under hyperglycemia.
BIOACTIVE MATERIALS
(2022)
Article
Neurosciences
Li-Kang Zhang, Jia-Hui Sun, Sheng Liu, Wen-Liang Zhang, Jian-Long Zou
Summary: In this study, we developed an in vitro model called SCWR to mimic the tissue-specific differences between motor and sensory nerve regeneration. The model demonstrated asymmetric regeneration of the ventral and dorsal roots in response to growth factors and exhibited motor and sensory Schwann cell phenotypes. Additionally, we identified a targeted effect of collagen VI on sensory nerve bundle formation and characterized the protein expression profiles associated with motor/sensory-specific nerve regeneration.
EXPERIMENTAL NEUROLOGY
(2023)
Article
Oncology
Jianghui Tang, Jianpeng Sheng, Qi Zhang, Yongtao Ji, Xun Wang, Junlei Zhang, Jiangchao Wu, Jinyuan Song, Xueli Bai, Tingbo Liang
Summary: The study demonstrates a strategy of generating CAR-T cells with both central memory and tissue-resident memory characteristics by combining Runx3 overexpression with ex vivo AKT inhibition. This strategy enhances the persistence, cytotoxic potential, and tumor-residency ability of CAR-T cells, overcoming the limitations in solid tumor treatment.
JOURNAL FOR IMMUNOTHERAPY OF CANCER
(2023)
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Tomoya Inoue, Keiichi Kanda, Masashi Yamanami, Daisuke Kami, Satoshi Gojo, Hitoshi Yaku
Summary: The study compared the effects of short-duration chemical treatments on the mechanical properties of tissue-engineered vascular grafts constructed in vivo, finding that ET and GA treatment could enhance the mechanical properties without interfering with histological responses.