Article
Biotechnology & Applied Microbiology
Pedram Azizi, Christoph Drobek, Silvia Budday, Hermann Seitz
Summary: In this study, a computational fluid-structure interaction (FSI) model was used to predict cell differentiation on a 3D-structured hydrogel scaffold under dynamic compressive load stimulation. The model allowed researchers to investigate the combined effects of mechanical deformation and flow on cell behavior. The results showed that the compression amplitude had an impact on cell differentiation.
FRONTIERS IN BIOENGINEERING AND BIOTECHNOLOGY
(2023)
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Akbar Teguh Prakoso, Hasan Basri, Dendy Adanta, Irsyadi Yani, Muhammad Imam Ammarullah, Imam Akbar, Farah Amira Ghazali, Ardiyansyah Syahrom, Tunku Kamarul
Summary: Permeability is an important factor to consider in the design of porous scaffolds for cell migration and bone tissue regeneration. This study developed a porous scaffold based on the morphological indices of cancellous bone and analyzed fluid flow through the scaffold using computational fluid dynamics. The permeability of the scaffold was compared to that of natural cancellous bone and different scaffold types. The results showed that the Negative Schwarz Primitive (NSP) scaffold had similar permeability to natural cancellous bone and could be manipulated by changing the curvature to support cell migration and tissue regeneration.
Article
Chemistry, Multidisciplinary
Erik Mailand, Ece Ozelci, Jaemin Kim, Matthias Ruegg, Odysseas Chaliotis, Jon Marki, Nikolaos Bouklas, Mahmut Selman Sakar
Summary: Epithelial cells are contiguous sheets of cells that stabilize the shape of internal organs and support their structure by covering their surfaces. Their remarkable mechanics allow them to actively remodel cell-cell junctions and modulate the distribution of local stresses, making them elastic, plastic, and viscous. Research shows that mechanical perturbations can induce solid to fluid transitions in epithelial cells, providing insights into their active mechanical properties for tissue engineering.
ADVANCED MATERIALS
(2022)
Article
Biotechnology & Applied Microbiology
Martina Tortorici, Ansgar Petersen, Klara Ehrhart, Georg N. Duda, Sara Checa
Summary: Mechanical and biological factors are known to play key roles in osteochondral defect healing, but the underlying principles and how they can be applied in treatment strategies are still largely unknown. A computational approach was used to investigate the impact of scaffold mechanical and architectural properties on osteochondral defect healing, revealing that scaffold material elastic modulus and structural stability are crucial for supporting the repair process.
FRONTIERS IN BIOENGINEERING AND BIOTECHNOLOGY
(2021)
Article
Engineering, Biomedical
Sandra Loerakker, Jay D. Humphrey
Summary: Advances in genomics, molecular and cellular mechanobiology, and immunobiology have led to the increasing importance of computational models in tissue and organ mechanobiology and mechanics, particularly in the field of regenerative medicine. This review focuses on the development and application of computational models in designing tissue engineered constructs, with examples from cardiovascular medicine, highlighting the current methods and ongoing needs.
ANNALS OF BIOMEDICAL ENGINEERING
(2023)
Article
Engineering, Biomedical
Ali Fallah, Mine Altunbek, Paulo Bartolo, Glen Cooper, Andrew Weightman, Gordon Blunn, Bahattin Koc
Summary: Treatment of bone defects is challenging, and synthetic bone scaffolds with suitable mechanical and biological properties are highly sought after. This study presents 3D printed polymeric scaffolds with a continuous ZigZag-Spiral pattern, which have uniform pore size distribution and show better mechanical and mass transportation properties compared to conventional scaffold patterns. Human mesenchymal stem cells seeded on the scaffolds demonstrate gradual pore filling in the ZigZag-Spiral pattern, suggesting its potential as a better choice for bone defect treatments.
JOURNAL OF THE MECHANICAL BEHAVIOR OF BIOMEDICAL MATERIALS
(2022)
Article
Engineering, Biomedical
Franca Scocozza, Giulia Maria Di Gravina, Elia Bari, Ferdinando Auricchio, Maria Luisa Torre, Michele Conti
Summary: This study investigated the mechanical properties of a coprinted hybrid scaffold made of poly-caprolactone (PCL) and an alginate-based hydrogel. The scaffold aims to have in vivo bio-integration and load-bearing capabilities. Structural finite element analysis (FEA) was conducted to study the impact of alginate inclusion and infill patterns on scaffold stiffness.
JOURNAL OF THE MECHANICAL BEHAVIOR OF BIOMEDICAL MATERIALS
(2023)
Article
Chemistry, Multidisciplinary
Manuel Somoza, Ramon Rial, Zhen Liu, Iago F. Llovo, Rui L. Reis, Jesus Mosqueira, Juan M. Ruso
Summary: This study successfully created doped Hydroxyapatite nanoparticles with magnetic properties using microfluidics and Gadolinium as a contrast agent for medical applications. Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) was used to ensure the system worked in the laminar regime and nanoparticles diffused uniformly. The biomaterials were characterized using XRD, FE-SEM, EDX, confocal Raman microscopy, and FT-IR, confirming the successful incorporation of Gadolinium. Magnetic characterization confirmed the paramagnetic behavior of the nanoparticles, showing the potential for advanced nanomaterials in theragnostic applications.
Article
Biology
Shubham Shankar Mohol, Mohit Kumar, Varun Sharma
Summary: This article presents a computational approach to study the mechanical behavior, fluid dynamics, and degradation impact of bio-degradable scaffolds for bone defect repair. Five scaffolds with nature-inspired designs were analyzed using finite element analysis to evaluate their mechanical properties and fluid flow dynamics. The scaffolds were also analyzed for degradation time in a specific environment. The Spider-web architecture scaffold exhibited the least deformation and lowest equivalent stress and strain, while the Nautilus Shell architecture scaffold had the highest stress and strain. All scaffolds met the permeability requirements of cancellous bone and showed wall shear stress values suitable for cell differentiation. The Spider-web architecture scaffold degraded the slowest, while the Giant Water Lily architecture scaffold degraded the fastest.
COMPUTERS IN BIOLOGY AND MEDICINE
(2023)
Article
Engineering, Aerospace
Peter L. Bishay, Christian Aguilar
Summary: Although the benefits of morphing wings have been proven in many studies, the conflicting design requirements of high out-of-plane stiffness and low in-plane stiffness remain a challenge for advancing morphing technology. Advances in hybrid and flexible composites may provide design solutions with a balance in stiffness. A parametric study of a composite skin for twist-morphing wings was conducted, considering design parameters such as the number of plies, fiber-orientation angle, and torsional rigidity. Analysis showed that torsional compliance can be increased by adjusting certain parameters, but at the expense of out-of-plane stiffness. The study highlights the nonlinear relationship and effects of different parameters on the behavior of the skin.
Article
Engineering, Biomedical
Stefania Saporito, Carlo F. Natale, Costantino Menna, Paolo Antonio Netti, Maurizio Ventre
Summary: Mechanical forces play a significant role in eukaryotic cells, affecting cell shape, proliferation, polarity, and differentiation through mechanosensing and mechanotransduction. Recent findings suggest that cell-generated forces influence the translocation of transcription factors from the cytoplasm to the nucleus, which is influenced by the morphology of nuclear pore complexes. The complex patterns of nuclear envelope strains and stresses caused by cytoskeletal forces may alter the morphology of nuclear pore complexes, ultimately affecting molecular transport and cell functions.
MATERIALS TODAY BIO
(2022)
Article
Engineering, Biomedical
Shivesh Anand, Thomas Stoppe, Monica Lucena, Timo Rademakers, Marcus Neudert, Serena Danti, Lorenzo Moroni, Carlos Mota
Summary: This study focuses on the importance of the architecture of the tympanic membrane (TM) and investigates the impact of geometric shape on the mechanical and acoustic responses of tissue-engineered TM scaffolds using theoretical and experimental approaches. Experimental results confirmed that radially aligned fibers have a greater effect on acoustic responses, and a hybrid fabrication strategy combining electrospinning and additive manufacturing was used to create biomimetic scaffolds.
ADVANCED HEALTHCARE MATERIALS
(2021)
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Anna Corti, Francesco Migliavacca, Scott A. Berceli, Claudio Chiastra
Summary: This study investigates the long-term arterial wall remodelling one year post-operation in stented superficial femoral arteries (SFAs) using multiscale computational agent-based modelling. The model successfully captures the initial reduction in lumen area and subsequent stabilization of lumen area, demonstrating the potential of this approach for studying patient-specific responses to endovascular interventions.
JOURNAL OF THE ROYAL SOCIETY INTERFACE
(2023)
Article
Biotechnology & Applied Microbiology
Yuqing Xia, Pahala G. Jayathilake, Bowen Li, Paolo Zuliani, Jinju Chen
Summary: This study utilized a computational fluid dynamics-discrete element method model to investigate the oscillation and cohesive failure of biofilm streamers, as well as the effects of streamer length and spatial arrangement on their behavior. The findings contribute to a better understanding and control of biofilm motion in fluid flow.
BIOTECHNOLOGY AND BIOENGINEERING
(2021)
Article
Mathematics
Inigo Calderon-Uriszar-Aldaca, Sergio Perez, Ravi Sinha, Maria Camara-Torres, Sara Villanueva, Carlos Mota, Alessandro Patelli, Amaia Matanza, Lorenzo Moroni, Alberto Sanchez
Summary: Finite element modeling was used to simulate AM scaffolds for bone tissue regeneration, with experimental validation using polymer and nano-filler composites. The simulations overestimated scaffold performance due to lack of printing accuracy, highlighting the importance of calibration for expected scenarios.
Article
Engineering, Biomedical
Andrea Roberto Calore, Varun Srinivas, Linda Groenendijk, Andrada Serafim, Izabela Cristina Stancu, Arnold Wilbers, Nils Leone, Ane Albillos Sanchez, Dietmar Auhl, Carlos Mota, Katrien Bernaerts, Jules A. W. Harings, Lorenzo Moroni
Summary: This study successfully fabricated three-dimensional scaffolds with surface roughness and intra-filament open porosity using additive manufacturing combined with chemical foaming and porogen leaching. The additional porosity did not affect the elastic modulus but increased the scaffold ductility. Cells adhered and exhibited enhanced metabolic activity and secretion of osteogenic markers on the scaffolds with multiple levels of porosity.
ACTA BIOMATERIALIA
(2023)
Article
Engineering, Biomedical
Gabriella Nilsson Hall, Amit Chandrakar, Angela Pastore, Konstantinos Ioannidis, Katrina Moisley, Matei Cirstea, Liesbet Geris, Lorenzo Moroni, Frank P. Luyten, Paul Wieringa, Ioannis Papantoniou
Summary: Bone fractures can be slow to heal or not heal at all in 2-12% of cases. Autologous grafts are currently used but have limitations. Tissue engineered cell-based implants have potential as an alternative treatment. In this study, cartilaginous spheroids were combined with melt electrowritten (MEW) meshes to create an engineered cell-based implant capable of inducing bone formation.
ACTA BIOMATERIALIA
(2023)
Article
Engineering, Biomedical
Zahra Khosrowpour, Seyed Mahmoud Hashemi, Samira Mohammadi-Yeganeh, Mehdi Moghtadaei, Peiman Brouki Milan, Lorenzo Moroni, Subhas C. Kundu, Mazaher Gholipourmalekabadi
Summary: The decellularized placental sponge shows potential as a bone substitute and provides a platform for communication between macrophages and mesenchymal stem cells, guiding the differentiation of stem cells towards bone cells.
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Afonso Malheiro, Maria Thon, Ana Filipa Lourenco, Adrian Seijas Gamardo, Amit Chandrakar, Susan Gibbs, Paul Wieringa, Lorenzo Moroni
Summary: By deriving nociceptor neurospheres from induced pluripotent stem cells, a functional in vitro human skin model with a sensory neuron population is established. The model exhibits similar morphological and phenotypical characteristics to native skin, and the neurons innervate the artificial skin. The reaction of the neurons is analyzed by applying a clinically available capsaicin patch, showing the potential of this model for preclinical research.
MACROMOLECULAR BIOSCIENCE
(2023)
Article
Chemistry, Multidisciplinary
Shahzad Hafeez, Ana A. Aldana, Hans Duimel, Floor A. A. Ruiter, Monize Caiado Decarli, Vanessa Lapointe, Clemens van Blitterswijk, Lorenzo Moroni, Matthew B. Baker
Summary: Traditional synthetic covalent hydrogels lack the native tissue dynamics and hierarchical fibrous structure found in the extracellular matrix (ECM). Here, the molecular tuning of a supramolecular benzene-1,3,5-tricarboxamide (BTA) hydrogelator via simple modulation of hydrophobic substituents is reported. These hydrogels show high cell viability for chondrocytes and human mesenchymal stem cells, establishing their use in tissue engineering applications.
ADVANCED MATERIALS
(2023)
Article
Engineering, Biomedical
Monize Caiado Decarli, Adrian Seijas-Gamardo, Francis L. C. Morgan, Paul Wieringa, Matthew B. Baker, Jorge Vicente L. Silva, Angela Maria Moraes, Lorenzo Moroni, Carlos Mota
Summary: Cartilage tissue has limited self-repair ability and irreversible progression of lesions. Tissue engineering structures, such as extrusion bioprinted constructs containing stem cell spheroids, show promise for research and therapy. In this study, a reproducible bioprinting process followed by chondrogenic differentiation using hMSC spheroids in a xanthan gum-alginate hydrogel was successfully performed. The bioprinted constructs showed stable structure, cell viability, and matrix production, demonstrating their potential as stable chondral tissue implants.
ADVANCED HEALTHCARE MATERIALS
(2023)
Article
Engineering, Biomedical
Sandra Camarero-Espinosa, Huipin Yuan, Pieter J. Emans, Lorenzo Moroni
Summary: The anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) is essential for knee joint stability, but reconstruction after rupture remains challenging. This study proposes a tri-phasic fibrous scaffold that mimics the structure of native ACL, with promising mechanical properties and cell organization. In vivo implantation in rabbits demonstrates superior performance compared to traditional aligned scaffolds.
ADVANCED HEALTHCARE MATERIALS
(2023)
Review
Engineering, Biomedical
Sophia Dalfino, Paolo Savadori, Marco Piazzoni, Stephen Thaddeus Connelly, Aldo Bruno Gianni, Massimo Del Fabbro, Gianluca Martino Tartaglia, Lorenzo Moroni
Summary: Mandibular tissue engineering aims to develop synthetic substitutes for critical size defects in the mandible, and scaffold design and fabrication using additive manufacturing techniques have become the focus of research efforts. This review discusses scaffolds made with additive manufacturing techniques in mandibular tissue engineering applications, including their chemical composition, structural properties, and strategies to promote osteogenesis and vascularization. In vivo studies comparing new bone formation, defect dimensions, and animal models are also reviewed.
ADVANCED HEALTHCARE MATERIALS
(2023)
Article
Engineering, Biomedical
Rong Wang, Febriyani Damanik, Tobias Kuhnt, Armand Jaminon, Shahzad Hafeez, Hong Liu, Hans Ippel, Pieter J. Dijkstra, Nicole Bouvy, Leon Schurgers, A. Tessa ten Cate, Aylvin Dias, Lorenzo Moroni, Matthew B. Baker
Summary: Digital Light Processing (DLP) is a precise and fast additive manufacturing technique used for producing various products. However, the lack of biodegradable resin development has hindered its use in tissue engineering. This study investigates a library of biodegradable poly(esters) capped with urethane acrylate as printable resins for tissue engineering. The synthesized oligomers show good printability and are capable of creating complex structures with mechanical moduli close to medium-soft tissues.
ADVANCED HEALTHCARE MATERIALS
(2023)
Article
Medicine, Research & Experimental
Claudia Del Toro Runzer, Shivesh Anand, Carlos Mota, Lorenzo Moroni, Christian Plank, Martijn van Griensven, Elizabeth R. Balmayor
Summary: Nucleic acids have great potential for gene therapy, with plasmid DNA as the first therapeutic nucleic acid and mRNA as a safer and more affordable option. This study investigated the uptake mechanisms and efficiencies of genetic material by cells, focusing on different nucleic acids, delivery vectors, and human primary cells. The study found that caveolae-mediated uptake was the main route for gene delivery, pDNA had higher expression levels in fast-dividing fibroblasts, cmRNA was responsible for high protein production in slow-dividing osteoblasts, and in mesenchymal stem cells, the combination of vector and nucleic acid was more relevant. Protein expression was higher when cells were seeded on 3D scaffolds.
MOLECULAR THERAPY-NUCLEIC ACIDS
(2023)
Article
Biotechnology & Applied Microbiology
Periklis Tzanetis, Rene Fluit, Kevin de Souza, Seonaid Robertson, Bart Koopman, Nico Verdonschot
Summary: Robotic-assisted total knee arthroplasty can achieve accurate implantation. This study demonstrates the feasibility of reproducing pre-diseased kinematics and ligament strains to optimize the position of knee components. By using a patient-specific musculoskeletal model and an optimization algorithm, the deviations between pre-diseased and post-operative kinematics and ligament strains were significantly reduced, providing valuable information for the pre-planning of robotic-assisted surgery.
BIOENGINEERING-BASEL
(2023)
Article
Chemistry, Multidisciplinary
Shahzad Hafeez, Monize Caiado Decarli, Agustina Aldana, Mahsa Ebrahimi, Floor A. A. Ruiter, Hans Duimel, Clemens van Blitterswijk, Louis M. Pitet, Lorenzo Moroni, Matthew B. Baker
Summary: This article investigates a synthetic supramolecular/covalent strategy for creating a tough hydrogel with the hierarchical fibrous architecture of the extracellular matrix (ECM). The hydrogelator self-assembles to form a viscoelastic hydrogel and is reinforced by covalent intra- and interfiber cross-links, resulting in enhanced mechanical properties. The hydrogels exhibit high tensile strain and compressive strain, are shear-thinning, and can be 3D bioprinted. Additionally, the hydrogels enable the bioprinting and differentiation of human mesenchymal stromal cell (hMSC) spheroids into chondrogenic tissue.
ADVANCED MATERIALS
(2023)
Article
Chemistry, Applied
Mariana I. Neves, Mariana Magalhaes, Silvia J. Bidarra, Lorenzo Moroni, Cristina C. Barrias
Summary: This study explored the use of a biocompatible and bio-orthogonal click chemistry reaction to graft cyclooctyne-modified alginate with bi-azide-functionalized PVGLIG peptides, creating artificial extracellular matrices for tissue engineering applications.
CARBOHYDRATE POLYMERS
(2023)
Article
Engineering, Biomedical
Zhengbo Wen, Yuxin Chen, Peilin Liao, Fengyu Wang, Weiping Zeng, Shoupei Liu, Haibing Wu, Ning Wang, Lorenzo Moroni, Minmin Zhang, Yuyou Duan, Honglin Chen
Summary: In this study, an in situ cell electrospinning system was developed as an attractive approach for stem cell delivery, which could promote cutaneous wound healing through direct deposition of bioactive fish gelatin fibers and MSCs onto wound sites, leading to a synergistic therapeutic effect.
ADVANCED HEALTHCARE MATERIALS
(2023)
Article
Endocrinology & Metabolism
Marta Nazzari, Mirian Romitti, Duncan Hauser, Daniel J. Carvalho, Stefan Giselbrecht, Lorenzo Moroni, Sabine Costagliola, Florian Caiment
Summary: This study demonstrates that despite a limited number of differentially expressed genes, various analysis methods can be used to obtain relevant information on phthalates, highlighting the potential of in vitro thyroid-related systems for the analysis of endocrine disruptors.
FRONTIERS IN ENDOCRINOLOGY
(2023)