Article
Materials Science, Multidisciplinary
Gloria Young, Francesca Tallia, Jeffrey N. Clark, Manishankar Chellappan, Oriol Gavalda-Diaz, Enric Juan Alcocer, Silvia A. Ferreira, Sara M. Rankin, Joshua P. Clark, John Hanna, Jonathan R. T. Jeffers, Julian R. Jones
Summary: Researchers have developed tough materials with continuous composition and stiffness gradients using inorganic/organic hybrid materials that can be 3D printed. Through the use of sol-gel hybrid materials with interacting organic and inorganic co-networks, the mechanical behavior can be tuned. These materials have a wide range of mechanical properties, from elastomeric to glassy, and can be used in additive manufacturing of 3D structures. The development of seamless stiffness gradients has potential applications in biomimicry and tissue engineering.
MATERIALS TODAY ADVANCES
(2023)
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Mengying Yang, Dingding Xiang, Song Wang, Weiqiang Liu
Summary: This study focuses on the accurate, synchronous, and noninvasive assessment of disc bulging and strains using the 3D digital image correlation (3D-DIC) system and the impact of creep on them. By applying different loads, the axial strains and lateral bulging of porcine cervical discs were measured. The results showed that load application reduced disc strains and the largest bulging occurred in the middle of the discs.
Article
Engineering, Biomedical
Zhao Liu, Huan Wang, Zhangqin Yuan, Qiang Wei, Fengxuan Han, Song Chen, Hao Xu, Jiaying Li, Jiayuan Wang, Zexi Li, Qixin Chen, Jerry Fuh, Lin Ding, Hui Wang, Bin Li
Summary: In this study, high-resolution polycaprolactone (PCL) scaffolds were successfully fabricated using a new electrohydrodynamic 3D printing technique, allowing for accurate simulation of the native annulus fibrosus (AF) structure. In vivo experiments showed that the tissue-engineered intervertebral discs (TE-IVDs) constructed with the 3D printed AF scaffold maintained disc height, reduced loss of nucleus pulposus (NP) water content, and partially restored the biomechanical function of the intervertebral disc.
Article
Orthopedics
Veronica Tilotta, Gianluca Vadala, Luca Ambrosio, Giuseppina Di Giacomo, Claudia Cicione, Fabrizio Russo, Adas Darinskas, Rocco Papalia, Vincenzo Denaro
Summary: In vitro study investigated the therapeutic effects of Wharton's Jelly MSC (WJ-MSC)-derived extracellular vesicles (EVs) on human nucleus pulposus cells (hNPCs). The results showed that WJ-MSC-EVs could improve the growth and viability of degenerated hNPCs, attenuate extracellular matrix (ECM) degradation and oxidative stress. This provides new opportunities for intervertebral disc regeneration and serves as an alternative strategy to cell therapy.
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Shoji Seki, Mami Iwasaki, Hiroto Makino, Yasuhito Yahara, Yoshitaka Miyazaki, Katsuhiko Kamei, Hayato Futakawa, Makiko Nogami, Nguyen Tran Canh Tung, Tatsuro Hirokawa, Mamiko Tsuji, Yoshiharu Kawaguchi
Summary: This study demonstrates the successful induction of nucleus pulposus (NP)-like cells using normal human dermal fibroblasts (NHDFs) through ectopic expression of specific genes in a three-dimensional culture system. These findings may contribute significantly to the development of effective strategies for treating intervertebral disc (IVD) diseases.
INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF MOLECULAR SCIENCES
(2022)
Article
Engineering, Manufacturing
Dongwei Wu, Jianwang Tan, Lingyun Yao, Jinhuan Tian, Binghong Luo, Lihua Li, Changren Zhou, Lu Lu
Summary: The research aimed to develop stem cell-laden scaffolds mimicking the structure of native intervertebral discs, fabricated using an integrated 3D bioprinting system with tailored properties. The regeneration effect in rat caudal spine was achieved, demonstrating the potential of the strategy for clinical applications.
COMPOSITES PART A-APPLIED SCIENCE AND MANUFACTURING
(2021)
Article
Materials Science, Multidisciplinary
Hong Seok Jo, Chan-Woo Park, Seongpil An, Ali Aldalbahi, Mohamed El-Newehy, Simon S. Park, Alexander L. Yarin, Sam S. Yoon
Summary: A multifunctional soft sensor capable of sensing six stimuli simultaneously with high accuracy and no interference among components has been developed. The sensor is fabricated using a cost-effective supersonic cold-spraying method and can be easily installed on various substrates, such as gloves. The proximity sensor of the glove sensor can generate a 3D image of scanned objects, making it highly suitable for military, medical, and industrial applications.
NPG ASIA MATERIALS
(2022)
Article
Materials Science, Multidisciplinary
Bibhas K. Bhunia, Souradeep Dey, Ashutosh Bandyopadhyay, Biman B. Mandal
Summary: The study demonstrated the fabrication of biomimetic annulus fibrosus (AF) anatomical structure using 3D printing technology, showing potential for intervertebral disc function restoration. The printed constructs exhibited fiber alignment mimicking native tissue and had higher mechanical strength than native porcine AF tissue. Cell survival and proliferation were supported, suggesting a new direction for disc replacement therapy.
APPLIED MATERIALS TODAY
(2021)
Article
Chemistry, Multidisciplinary
Tobias Widmann, Lucas P. Kreuzer, Matthias Kuehnhammer, Andreas J. Schmid, Lars Wiehemeier, Sebastian Jaksch, Henrich Frielinghaus, Oliver Loehmann, Harald Schneider, Arno Hiess, Regine von Klitzing, Thomas Hellweg, Peter Mueller-Buschbaum
Summary: The FlexiProb project is a collaboration between three soft matter groups at universities in Germany with scientific support from various institutions. They developed a flexible sample carrier system for small-angle neutron scattering at the ESS and a sample environment for studying soft matter thin films with GISANS. Test experiments proved the concept and functionality of the setup.
APPLIED SCIENCES-BASEL
(2021)
Article
Engineering, Biomedical
Binbin Sun, Meifei Lian, Yu Han, Xiumei Mo, Wenbo Jiang, Zhiguang Qiao, Kerong Dai
Summary: An anatomically correct IVD scaffold was fabricated using 3D bioprinting technology, which successfully regenerated the structure and function of the nucleus pulposus and annular fibrosus in vivo. The scaffold exhibited good biomechanical function and demonstrated the clinical application potential of dual growth factors-releasing IVD scaffold. Evaluation in large mammal animal models is necessary for further study.
BIOACTIVE MATERIALS
(2021)
Article
Acoustics
Farinaz Forouzesh, Hamid Ahmadian, Mahdi Navidbakhsh
Summary: The prediction of spinal behavior under dynamic and vibration loads is crucial for human lumbar spine health. This paper presents a method using noninvasive experimental modal analysis to evaluate the dynamic mechanical properties of the spine and updates the finite element model accordingly, showing promising results.
JOURNAL OF VIBRATION AND CONTROL
(2022)
Article
Materials Science, Biomaterials
Meiling Zhu, Jianwang Tan, Lu Liu, Jinhuan Tian, Lihua Li, Binghong Luo, Changren Zhou, Lu Lu
Summary: A biomimetic artificial IVD scaffold was constructed using a combination of 3D printing and electrospinning techniques, mimicking the structure and mechanical properties of natural IVD. The scaffold, with materials simulating annulus fibrosus and nucleus pulposus structures, provides good mechanical support for tissue repair and regeneration.
MATERIALS SCIENCE & ENGINEERING C-MATERIALS FOR BIOLOGICAL APPLICATIONS
(2021)
Article
Engineering, Biomedical
S. Tavana, B. Davis, I. Canali, K. Scott, J. J. H. Leong, B. A. Freedman, N. Newell
Summary: Medical imaging modalities that only calculate tissue morphology cannot provide direct information about the mechanical behavior of load-bearing musculoskeletal organs. In this study, a non-invasive tool combining digital volume correlation (DVC) with clinical MRI was developed to measure displacement and strain in the human lumbar spine. The tool was used to calculate lumbar kinematics and intervertebral disc (IVD) strains in healthy subjects during lumbar extension. The results showed that the tool had a low measurement error and provided important information about the mechanics of the spine.
JOURNAL OF THE MECHANICAL BEHAVIOR OF BIOMEDICAL MATERIALS
(2023)
Article
Biophysics
Kuo-Yuan Azril, Kuo-Yuan Huang, Jonathan Hobley, Mehdi Rouhani, Wen-Lung Liu, Yeau-Ren Jeng
Summary: This study evaluates the effects of common sample preparation methods on tissue morphology, biomechanical properties, and chemical composition. The findings reveal that there is no significant difference in biomechanical properties between fresh cryosection and fixed cryosection samples, while there is a significant difference between fresh cryosection and paraffin-embedded samples. Additionally, tissue preparation methods also affect the chemical content and structure of the tissues. The study provides valuable insight into the microscale characteristics of the intervertebral disc and offers a reference for assessing the mechanical properties and chemical content of soft tissues.
JOURNAL OF APPLIED BIOMATERIALS & FUNCTIONAL MATERIALS
(2023)
Article
Chemistry, Multidisciplinary
Letao Yang, Basanta Bhujel, Yannan Hou, Jeffrey Luo, Seong Bae An, Inbo Han, Ki-Bum Lee
Summary: Degeneration of fibrocartilaginous tissues is often associated with complex pro-inflammatory factors, including reactive oxygen species (ROS), cell-free nucleic acids (cf-NAs), and epigenetic changes in immune cells. A self-therapeutic and epigenetic modulator-encapsulated hybrid protein nanoscaffold shows promise for restoring dysregulated inflammatory signaling and treating degenerative fibrocartilaginous diseases, such as disc injuries. The nanoscaffold exhibits inflammatory stimuli-responsive drug release, disc-mimetic stiffness, and excellent biodegradability, along with the ability to scavenge ROS and cf-NAs, reducing inflammation and promoting tissue regeneration.
ADVANCED MATERIALS
(2023)
Review
Fisheries
Ronald Seidel, Aravind K. Jayasankar, Mason N. Dean
Summary: This review discusses the unique and complex architectures of shark and ray tessellated cartilage, comparing similarities and differences with mammalian skeletal tissue counterparts. By synthesizing older anatomical literature with recent high-resolution structural and materials characterization work, it reveals new perspectives on form-function relationships in cartilage and bone, as well as the evolution and true diversity of these tissues.
JOURNAL OF FISH BIOLOGY
(2021)
Article
Paleontology
Savanna N. K. van Mesdag, Jan den Blaauwen, Mason N. Dean, Zerina Johanson
JOURNAL OF VERTEBRATE PALEONTOLOGY
(2020)
Article
Biophysics
Brianne K. Connizzo, Gili R. S. Naveh
JOURNAL OF BIOMECHANICS
(2020)
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Ronald Seidel, Michael Blumer, Julia Chaumel, Shahrouz Amini, Mason N. Dean
JOURNAL OF THE ROYAL SOCIETY INTERFACE
(2020)
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Shahrouz Amini, Hajar Razi, Ronald Seidel, Daniel Werner, William T. White, James C. Weaver, Mason N. Dean, Peter Fratzl
NATURE COMMUNICATIONS
(2020)
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Aaron E. Chiou, Chuang Liu, Ines Moreno-Jimenez, Tengteng Tang, Wolfgang Wagermaier, Mason N. Dean, Claudia Fischbach, Peter Fratzl
Summary: Factors secreted by breast cancer may promote disturbed bone growth before metastasis, potentially affecting the initial seeding of tumor cells.
Article
Zoology
M. A. Kolmann, F. P. L. Marques, J. C. Weaver, M. N. Dean, J. P. Fontenelle, N. R. Lovejoy
Summary: The study revealed the dietary specialization and ecological niche changes in the evolutionary history of the Neotropical freshwater river rays, suggesting that competition is unlikely to have limited their invasion and diversification in South America.
INTEGRATIVE AND COMPARATIVE BIOLOGY
(2022)
Article
Anatomy & Morphology
Lennart Eigen, Daniel Baum, Mason N. Dean, Daniel Werner, Jan Woelfer, John A. Nyakatura
Summary: Biological armors, such as the carapace of boxfish, derive their mechanical integrity from geometric architectures involving tessellations. The carapace of boxfish grows with the fish, with the number of scutes remaining constant but increasing in volume, thickness, and width with age. The carapace is predominantly flat, with thicker scutes at the edges, and the overall morphology allows for a relatively straightforward growth system of this tessellated architecture.
JOURNAL OF ANATOMY
(2022)
Article
Zoology
Venkata A. Surapaneni, Mike Schindler, Ricardo Ziege, Luciano C. de Faria, Jan Woelfer, Cecile M. Bidan, Frederik H. Mollen, Shahrouz Amini, Sean Hanna, Mason N. Dean
Summary: This article synthesizes literature and experimental studies on surface wrinkling in terrestrial and marine organisms, reviewing important morphological parameters and classifying functional aspects of surface wrinkles in relation to the size and ecology of organisms. By comparing the development and structure-function of wrinkles at different size scales and environmental demands, a template of structure-function relationships of biological surface wrinkles is provided, along with an outlook for functionalized wrinkled biomimetic surfaces.
INTEGRATIVE AND COMPARATIVE BIOLOGY
(2022)
Article
Biology
Amanda M. Herbert, Mason N. Dean, Adam P. Summers, Cheryl D. Wilga
Summary: Elasmobranch fishes, including the spotted ratfish, have adapted their jaw morphology and mechanical properties to consume both hard and soft prey. The fusion of the upper jaw with the cranium reduces deformation, while the lower jaw is designed to resist bending and occludes with the wider and flatter region of the upper jaw, suggesting a function for crushing or cracking prey.
JOURNAL OF EXPERIMENTAL BIOLOGY
(2022)
Article
Cell Biology
Brett Clark, Julia Chaumel, Zerina Johanson, Charlie Underwood, Moya. M. M. Smith, Mason. N. N. Dean
Summary: This study quantitatively analyzed the jaw strengthening mechanisms in two durophagous batoid fishes (Bowmouth Guitarfish and White-spotted Wedgefish). The results revealed that both species possess reinforced jaw structures, such as trabeculae and thickened jaw cortices. Compared to myliobatiform stingrays, the jaw structures of these rhinopristiform species are simpler, and their teeth have unique undulating shapes. Additionally, trabeculae were found to be more widespread among batoid groups and apparently absent in the phylogenetically basal Rajiformes.
FRONTIERS IN CELL AND DEVELOPMENTAL BIOLOGY
(2022)
Article
Engineering, Biomedical
Zhuanfei Liu, Yunya Niu, Zeyao Fu, Mason Dean, Zhengyi Fu, Yongming Hu, Zhaoyong Zou
Summary: Osteodentin is a mineralized collagenous tissue in shark teeth similar to bone but lacking osteocytes and the lacuno-canalicular network (LCN). This study reveals a complex 3D network of primary and secondary canals in osteodentin, which correlates with mineralization gradient and micromechanical properties, providing valuable insights into the construction of bone-like tissue without osteocytes and LCN.
ACTA BIOMATERIALIA
(2023)
Proceedings Paper
Computer Science, Artificial Intelligence
Martha Paskin, Daniel Baum, Mason N. Dean, Christoph Von Tycowicz
Summary: 3D shapes provide more information than 2D images, but it is often difficult to acquire 3D shapes compared to 2D images. This paper presents a new approach based on Kendall shape space to reconstruct 3D shapes from single monocular 2D images. The method is applied to study the feeding behavior of the basking shark, demonstrating its robustness compared to previous methods.
COMPUTER VISION - ECCV 2022, PT II
(2022)
Article
Engineering, Biomedical
Tengteng Tang, William Landis, Emeline Raguin, Peter Werner, Luca Bertinetti, Mason Dean, Wolfgang Wagermaier, Peter Fratzl
Summary: During crucial growth stages of vertebrate long bones, a complex structural network consisting of nanochannels plays an important role in the mineralization process, providing conduits for ions and molecules to access the extracellular matrices.
ADVANCED NANOBIOMED RESEARCH
(2022)
Meeting Abstract
Zoology
J. Chaumel, M. Schotte, J. J. Bizzarro, P. Zaslansky, P. Fratzl, D. Baum, M. N. Dean
INTEGRATIVE AND COMPARATIVE BIOLOGY
(2021)