Article
Cell Biology
Silvia Barbon, Andrea Biccari, Elena Stocco, Giovanni Capovilla, Edoardo D'Angelo, Martina Todesco, Deborah Sandrin, Andrea Bagno, Filippo Romanato, Veronica Macchi, Raffaele De Caro, Marco Agostini, Stefano Merigliano, Michele Valmasoni, Andrea Porzionato
Summary: Esophageal reconstruction using bio-engineered allografts that resemble the tissue extracellular matrix (ECM) properties is a promising strategy. This study successfully decellularized human esophagus using three detergent-enzymatic protocols and demonstrated preservation of ECM components, retention of collagen and elastin, and reduced immunogenicity. It also showed changes in tissue stiffness but maintained sample integrity. The study highlights the potential of using decellularized esophageal matrices for future tissue repopulation and orthotopic implantation.
Review
Cell & Tissue Engineering
Elena Stocco, Silvia Barbon, Marco Mammana, Giovanni Zambello, Martina Contran, Pier Paolo Parnigotto, Veronica Macchi, Maria Teresa Conconi, Federico Rea, Raffaele De Caro, Andrea Porzionato
Summary: Severe tracheal injuries pose a challenge in surgical practice, but decellularized scaffolds provide a potential solution. This systematic review examines studies on decellularized/bioengineered tracheal implantation, including orthotopic implant results and clinical cases.
JOURNAL OF TISSUE ENGINEERING
(2023)
Review
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Greta Ionela Barbulescu, Florina Maria Bojin, Valentin Laurentiu Ordodi, Iacob Daniel Goje, Andreea Severina Barbulescu, Virgil Paunescu
Summary: Cardiovascular diseases are the leading cause of global mortality. Decellularized cardiac extracellular matrix (dECM) has shown promise in tissue-regenerative medicine, but proper assessment of tissue composition and recellularization with organ-specific cells remain challenging.
INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF MOLECULAR SCIENCES
(2022)
Review
Biotechnology & Applied Microbiology
Qian Zhang, Yixin Hu, Xuan Long, Lingling Hu, Yu Wu, Ji Wu, Xiaobing Shi, Runqi Xie, Yu Bi, Fangyuan Yu, Pinxue Li, Yu Yang
Summary: Cartilage regeneration relies on cellular-ECM interactions. Traditional tissue engineering methods have not been able to replicate the physiological structure of natural cartilage, but recent advances in ECM-based scaffolds show promise in improving cartilage regeneration.
FRONTIERS IN BIOENGINEERING AND BIOTECHNOLOGY
(2022)
Article
Engineering, Biomedical
Mahmut Parmaksiz
Summary: The development of cell-free regenerative biomaterials is an important approach in tissue engineering, especially for complex tissue interfaces. This study focuses on optimizing protocols to obtain bovine tendon-based scaffolds with high bioactive content, incorporating inorganic components, and activating them with growth factor binding affinity. The results showed promising properties of the nanocomposite scaffolds, including improved thermal stability and compressive strength.
JOURNAL OF THE MECHANICAL BEHAVIOR OF BIOMEDICAL MATERIALS
(2022)
Article
Biotechnology & Applied Microbiology
Beu P. Oropeza, Jason R. Adams, Michael E. Furth, Jack Chessa, Thomas Boland
Summary: Bioprinting is an emerging technique that can be used to engineer tissue or create in vitro organ models. However, many bioprinted tissues lack the biochemical complexity of native extracellular matrix, resulting in inferior mechanical properties. The combination of decellularization and bioprinting processes has the potential to improve cellular environment and mechanical characteristics for better outcomes.
FRONTIERS IN BIOENGINEERING AND BIOTECHNOLOGY
(2022)
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Philipp Felgendreff, Claudia Schindler, Franziska Mussbach, Chichi Xie, Felix Gremse, Utz Settmacher, Uta Dahmen
Summary: The study successfully identified murine liver scaffold-sections with well-preserved microarchitecture using a sequential morphological workflow. Decellularization was feasible in livers with different pathologies, supporting further repopulation experiments.
Article
Engineering, Multidisciplinary
Te-An Chen, Dhavan Sharma, Wenkai Jia, Donggi Ha, Kun Man, Jianhua Zhang, Yong Yang, Yuxiao Zhou, Timothy J. Kamp, Feng Zhao
Summary: Cell-derived extracellular matrix (ECM) is increasingly used in tissue engineering due to its ability to provide tailored signals for cellular responses. This study compared two detergent-based decellularization methods and found that EDTA + SDS treatment was more efficient in preserving the structure and bioactive substances of the ECM scaffold.
Article
Engineering, Biomedical
Gilles S. van Tienderen, Oskar Rosmark, Ruby Lieshout, Jorke Willemse, Floor de Weijer, Linda Elowsson Rendin, Gunilla Westergren-Thorsson, Michail Doukas, Bas Groot Koerkamp, Martin E. van Royen, Luc J. W. van der Laan, Monique M. A. Verstegen
Summary: Patient-derived tumor organoids were combined with native tumor and liver scaffolds through decellularization to study the interaction between tumor cells and the extracellular matrix (ECM). The use of decellularized scaffolds resulted in a more accurate representation of the in vivo tumor environment and increased chemoresistance. This method also revealed environment-dependent proliferation dynamics and stimulated the production of collagen types.
ACTA BIOMATERIALIA
(2023)
Article
Nanoscience & Nanotechnology
My Thi Ngoc Nguyen, Ha Le Bao Tran
Summary: The study aimed to prepare injectable acellular adipose matrix (AAM) through delipidating and decellularizing, showing that mechanical disruption improved fat removal efficiency and the decellularization strategy was effective. AAM powder was non-toxic to human adipose derived stem cells and supported cell migration and proliferation.
JOURNAL OF SCIENCE-ADVANCED MATERIALS AND DEVICES
(2021)
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Can Ergun, Mahmut Parmaksiz, Murat Taner Vurat, Ayse Eser Elcin, Yasar Murat Elcin
Summary: A macroporous 3D scaffold derived from decellularized bovine liver ECM was developed with defined biological, physical, and mechanical properties. The scaffold showed stable mechanical performance and high hemocompatibility in vitro. Furthermore, it was demonstrated that the scaffold is suitable for use as a cell substrate.
INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF BIOLOGICAL MACROMOLECULES
(2022)
Article
Engineering, Biomedical
Camila Hochman-Mendez, Fernanda C. P. Mesquita, Jacquelynn Morrissey, Ernesto Curty da Costa, Jorn Hulsmann, Karis Tang-Quan, Yutao Xi, Po-Feng Lee, Luiz C. Sampaio, Doris A. Taylor
Summary: In this study, we successfully revascularized and repopulated a large, full-thickness portion of a ventricle using human induced pluripotent stem cell-derived endothelial and cardiac cells. The histologic analysis at 60 days showed that the microanatomical organization and cellular composition of this region was similar to that of the native heart. The recellularized heart exhibited visible beating and responded appropriately to heartbeat-altering drugs.
ACTA BIOMATERIALIA
(2022)
Article
Chemistry, Multidisciplinary
Lisa Sassi, Omolola Ajayi, Sara Campinoti, Dipa Natarajan, Claire McQuitty, Riccardo Rayan Siena, Sara Mantero, Paolo De Coppi, Alessandro F. Pellegata, Shilpa Chokshi, Luca Urbani
Summary: Decellularised organ scaffolds in the field of in vitro liver disease models maintain original properties, but the scarcity of appropriate bioreactors hampers tissue engineering approaches. A novel specific bioreactor was designed for long-term 3D culture of whole liver constructs, supporting cell survival and function. The bioreactor allows non-invasive monitoring and analysis of bioengineered constructs, showing higher viability, distribution, and functionality under dynamic conditions compared to static culture.
Article
Polymer Science
Sasan Ghanbari Asl, Shohreh Mashayekhan, Mehdi Khanmohammadi
Summary: This study successfully fabricated porous microcarriers composed of myocardial extracellular matrix and chitosan using an electrospraying technique. Control of electrospraying parameters allowed for manipulation of microcarrier diameter, porosity, and pore size, making them suitable for cell culture and injectable scaffolds.
IRANIAN POLYMER JOURNAL
(2022)
Article
Engineering, Biomedical
Charlot Philips, Lisanne Terrie, Lieven Thorrez
Summary: A review is presented on the progress and challenges in skeletal muscle decellularization, discussing different decellularization methods and applications of the scaffolds. Decellularized skeletal muscle has been primarily studied for regenerative purposes, focusing on tissue-specific morphological features and biochemical cues for muscle regeneration. However, this review expands the potential applications of decellularized skeletal muscle to demonstrate its versatility as a biomaterial.
Article
Chemistry, Multidisciplinary
Claudia Martins, Catarina Pacheco, Catarina Moreira-Barbosa, Angela Marques-Magalhaes, Sofia Dias, Marco Araujo, Maria J. Oliveira, Bruno Sarmento
Summary: This study generated human GBM heterotypic multicellular tumor microtissues (MCTMs) using high-throughput 3D modeling, which mimicked the spatial organization and biological features of GBM. The bioactivity of tumor-targeted nanoparticles and anti-cancer drugs were evaluated in the MCTMs, and it was found that the targeted nanoparticles exhibited higher cell uptake and anti-proliferative effect.
JOURNAL OF CONTROLLED RELEASE
(2023)
Article
Oncology
Ana Teresa Pinto, Ana Beatriz Machado, Hugo Osorio, Marta Laranjeiro Pinto, Rui Vitorino, Goncalo Justino, Catia Santa, Flavia Castro, Tania Cruz, Carla Rodrigues, Jorge Lima, Jose Luis R. Sousa, Ana Patricia Cardoso, Rita Figueira, Armanda Monteiro, Margarida Marques, Bruno Manadas, Jarne Pauwels, Kris Gevaert, Marc Mareel, Sonia Rocha, Tiago Duarte, Maria Jose Oliveira
Summary: Resistance to radiotherapy is a major problem in cancer treatment. Investigating the response of macrophages to ionizing radiation could help overcome tumor radio resistance.
Article
Clinical Neurology
Daniela P. Vasconcelos, Madalena Costa, Joaquim L. Reis, Vasco S. Pinto, Ana B. Sousa, Artur P. aguas, Mario A. Barbosa, Judite N. Barbosa
Summary: This pilot study evaluated the feasibility of chitosan porous 3D scaffolds incorporated with resolvin D1 as an alternative to iliac bone autograft. The results showed that the chitosan scaffolds with resolvin D1 demonstrated potential in inhibiting inflammation and promoting new bone formation, suggesting their usefulness for bone tissue repair applications.
EUROPEAN SPINE JOURNAL
(2023)
Review
Chemistry, Multidisciplinary
Sofia Torres Quintas, Ana Canha-Borges, Maria Jose Oliveira, Bruno Sarmento, Flavia Castro
Summary: Breast cancer is the leading cause of cancer-related deaths in women, with a significant number of cases and fatalities reported globally in 2020. Triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC), which lacks certain receptors, accounts for approximately 20% of all breast cancers and has a more aggressive clinical course, particularly in younger women. Current standard therapy for advanced TNBC is chemotherapy, but its effectiveness is limited and relapse rates are high. However, recent advances in cancer nanomedicine have provided innovative therapeutic options to overcome the drawbacks of conventional therapies. This review summarizes the recent developments in nanomedicine for TNBC treatment, including novel nanoparticle, exosome, and hybrid-based formulations, and discusses their limitations and challenges for future clinical applications.
Review
Oncology
Diogo Estevao, Miguel da Cruz-Ribeiro, Ana P. Cardoso, Angela M. Costa, Maria J. Oliveira, Tiago L. Duarte, Tania B. da Cruz
Summary: This review discusses the complex role of iron in colorectal cancer (CRC), particularly the consequences of iron excess or deprivation on tumor development and progression. The regulation of cellular iron metabolism in the CRC microenvironment and the role of hypoxia and oxidative stress (e.g. ferroptosis) in CRC are also highlighted. Furthermore, potential therapeutic targets against CRC malignancy related to iron are identified.
Article
Cell & Tissue Engineering
Sara Reis Moura, Jaime Freitas, Claudia Ribeiro-Machado, Jorge Lopes, Nuno Neves, Helena Canhao, Ana Maria Rodrigues, Mario Adolfo Barbosa, Maria Ines Almeida
Summary: This study decodes the regulatory network of the lncRNA H19 on the extracellular matrix (ECM) and reveals its impact on bone regeneration. Inhibition of H19 expression results in decreased ECM density and collagen content, and promotes adipogenic differentiation of bone marrow-derived stem cells. Furthermore, H19 is targeted by miR-29c, which is downregulated in osteoporotic bone tissue and affects MSC proliferation and collagen production. These findings suggest that H19 is a potential therapeutic target for controlling cell behavior and engineering the bone ECM.
STEM CELL RESEARCH & THERAPY
(2023)
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Renee G. C. Maas, Tess Beekink, Nino Chirico, Christian J. B. Snijders Blok, Inge Dokter, Vasco Sampaio-Pinto, Alain van Mil, Pieter A. Doevendans, Jan W. Buikema, Joost P. G. Sluijter, Francesca Stillitano
Summary: Human-induced pluripotent stem cell-derived cardiomyocytes are crucial for cardiac disease modeling and therapeutics. This study presents a cost-effective approach for expanding these cells and a three-dimensional cardiac cell culture technique for high-throughput screening platforms. The technique enables modeling of cardiac diseases and drug development with excellent reproducibility and scalability.
JOVE-JOURNAL OF VISUALIZED EXPERIMENTS
(2023)
Article
Immunology
Joana Wilton, Filipa Lopes de Mendonca, Isabel Pereira-Castro, Michael Tellier, Takayuki Nojima, Angela M. Costa, Jaime Freitas, Shona Murphy, Maria Jose Oliveira, Nicholas J. Proudfoot, Alexandra Moreira
Summary: In this study, new 3'UTR-APA and IPA mRNA isoforms were found during pro-inflammatory polarization of primary human macrophages and CRC co-culture, which may be used as diagnostic or therapeutic tools in the future.
FRONTIERS IN IMMUNOLOGY
(2023)
Review
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Carlota M. Relvas, Susana G. Santos, Maria J. Oliveira, Fernao D. Magalhaes, Artur M. Pinto
Summary: Skin cancer is a common and increasing type of cancer with two main categories: melanoma and non-melanoma. Current treatments, including surgery, radiation therapy, and chemotherapy, have limitations in terms of mortality and recurrence rates. Recent studies have focused on new approaches, such as immunotherapy and various forms of phototherapy. Among these, photoimmunotherapy has gained attention for its potential outcomes in combining photodynamic and/or photothermal therapy with a systemic immune response. This review critically discusses the properties and mechanisms of action of different nanomaterials in skin cancer photoimmunotherapy and presents important results in the field.
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Andreia Teixeira-Castro, Joao Carlos Sousa, Carmen Vieira, Joana Pereira-Sousa, Daniela Vilasboas-Campos, Fernanda Marques, Perpetua Pinto-do-O, Patricia Maciel
Summary: This study explores the use of the worm Caenorhabditis elegans as a model to visualize the effects of molecular cues on axonal guidance and nervous system structure and behavior. Students observed the behavior of C. elegans and learned about the deleterious effects of gene malfunctioning in neuron response to biochemical cues. They also discovered the similarities between abnormal axon migration in C. elegans and humans.
Article
Cardiac & Cardiovascular Systems
Luis Raposo, Rui. J. J. Cerqueira, Sara Leite, Liliana Moreira-Costa, Tiago. L. L. Laundos, Joana. O. O. Miranda, Pedro Mendes-Ferreira, Joao Almeida Coelho, Rita. N. N. Gomes, Perpetua Pinto-do-O, Diana. S. S. Nascimento, Andre P. Lourenco, Nuno Cardim, Adelino Leite-Moreira
Summary: This study investigated the efficacy of intracoronary delivery of human umbilical cord matrix-mesenchymal stromal cells (hUCM-MSC) as reperfusion-adjuvant therapy in a translational model of acute myocardial infarction (AMI). The results showed that hUCM-MSC could significantly improve left ventricular systolic function compared to the control group.
FRONTIERS IN CARDIOVASCULAR MEDICINE
(2023)
Article
Biotechnology & Applied Microbiology
Maria Jose Silveira, Claudia Martins, Tania Cruz, Flavia Castro, Angela Amorim-Costa, Kerry Chester, Maria Jose Oliveira, Bruno Sarmento
Summary: A smart nanoplatform based on chemical conjugation of an anti-CEA single-chain variable fragment (scFv) with PLGA-PEG polymers was developed to deliver 5-Fluorouracil (5-FU) chemotherapy to colorectal cancer (CRC) cells. The developed CEA-targeted nanoparticles demonstrated specificity for CEA-expressing CRC cells and induced higher cytotoxicity. Safety evaluation showed no relevant impact on donor-isolated macrophages. This proof of concept supports CEA-targeted nanoparticles as a promising chemotherapeutic strategy.
JOURNAL OF NANOBIOTECHNOLOGY
(2023)
Correction
Cell & Tissue Engineering
Rita N. Gomes, Filipa Manuel, Diana S. Nascimento
NPJ REGENERATIVE MEDICINE
(2023)
Review
Chemistry, Multidisciplinary
Filipa A. L. S. Silva, Hui-Ping Chang, Jean Anne C. Incorvia, Maria J. Oliveira, Bruno Sarmento, Susana G. Santos, Fernao D. Magalhaes, Artur M. Pinto
Summary: Photothermal therapy (PTT) and magnetic hyperthermia therapy (MHT) using 2D nanomaterials (2DnMat) show promising potential for alternative cancer and bacterial infection treatments. The unique properties of 2DnMat, including high surface area, near-infrared absorption, responsiveness to external stimuli, and surface functionalization possibilities, make them ideal platforms for PTT and MHT. Although significant progress has been made in in vitro and in vivo studies, challenges such as improving drug conjugation, understanding in vivo biodegradation, and refining evaluation criteria still need to be addressed.
Article
Materials Science, Biomaterials
Morena Francesca Fiordalisi, Joana Rita Ferreira, Marta Laranjeiro Pinto, Claudia Ribeiro-Machado, Marta Teixeira Pinto, Maria Jose Oliveira, Mario Adolfo Barbosa, Raquel Madeira Goncalves, Joana Caldeira
Summary: This study evaluated the impact of extracellular matrix (ECM) donor age on intervertebral disc (IVD) regeneration/degeneration and found that younger ECM scaffolds have better repopulation efficiency and the ability to restore a functional IVD microenvironment.
BIOMATERIALS ADVANCES
(2022)
Article
Engineering, Biomedical
Lin-Lin Luo, Jie Xu, Bing-Qiao Wang, Chen Chen, Xi Chen, Qiu-Mei Hu, Yu-Qiu Wang, Wan-Yun Zhang, Wan-Xiang Jiang, Xin-Ting Li, Hu Zhou, Xiao Xiao, Kai Zhao, Sen Lin
Summary: A novel AAV serotype, AAVYC5, introduced in this study, showed more efficient transduction into multiple retinal layers compared to AAV2, and enabled successful delivery of anti-angiogenic molecules in mice and non-human primates.
