Specialized pro-resolving mediator Maresin 1 attenuates pain in a mouse model of osteoarthritis.

Objective: We test whether the specialized pro-resolving molecule Maresin 1 (MaR1) attenuates nociceptive behaviors in mice with osteoarthritis-like pain.

Design: Osteoarthritis (OA)-like pain behavior was induced by intra-articular injection of monosodium iodoacetate (MIA) and treated with MaR1 (N=6) or vehicle (N=5) by intraperitoneal injection 8 weeks after injury. Mice without MIA injection were used as control (N=6).

Branched poly-l-lysine for cartilage penetrating carriers.

Joint diseases, such as osteoarthritis, often require delivery of drugs to chondrocytes residing within the cartilage. However, intra-articular delivery of drugs to cartilage remains a challenge due to their rapid clearance within the joint. This problem is further exacerbated by the dense and negatively charged cartilage extracellular matrix (ECM).

Active immunotherapy for C5a-mediated inflammation using adjuvant-free self-assembled peptide nanofibers.

The terminal protein in the complement cascade C5a is a potent inflammatory molecule and chemoattractant that is involved in the pathology of multiple inflammatory diseases including sepsis and arthritis, making it a promising protein to target with immunotherapies. Active immunotherapies, in which patients are immunized against problematic self-molecules and generate therapeutic antibodies as a result, have received increasing interest as an alternative to traditional monoclonal antibody treatments. In previous work, we have designed supramolecular self-assembling peptide nanofibers as active immunotherapies with defined combinations of B- and T-cell epitopes.

An Microfluidic Alveolus Model to Study Lung Biomechanics.

The gas exchange units of the lung, the alveoli, are mechanically active and undergo cyclic deformation during breathing. The epithelial cells that line the alveoli contribute to lung function by reducing surface tension surfactant secretion, which is highly influenced by the breathing-associated mechanical cues. These spatially heterogeneous mechanical cues have been linked to several physiological and pathophysiological states.

Self-Healing of Hyaluronic Acid to Improve In Vivo Retention and Function.

Convergent advances in the field of soft matter, macromolecular chemistry, and engineering have led to the development of biomaterials that possess autonomous, adaptive, and self-healing characteristics similar to living systems. These rationally designed biomaterials can surpass the capabilities of their parent material. Herein, the modification of hyaluronic acid (HA) to exhibit self-healing properties is described, and its physical and biological function both in vitro and in vivo is studied.

Decellularization Strategies for Regenerative Medicine: From Processing Techniques to Applications.

As the gap between donors and patients in need of an organ transplant continues to widen, research in regenerative medicine seeks to provide alternative strategies for treatment. One of the most promising techniques for tissue and organ regeneration is decellularization, in which the extracellular matrix (ECM) is isolated from its native cells and genetic material in order to produce a natural scaffold. The ECM, which ideally retains its inherent structural, biochemical, and biomechanical cues, can then be recellularized to produce a functional tissue or organ.