A systematic review on the kappa opioid receptor and its ligands: New directions for the treatment of pain, anxiety, depression, and drug abuse.

Kappa opioid receptor (KOR) is a member of the opioid receptor system, the G protein-coupled receptors that are expressed throughout the peripheral and central nervous systems and play crucial roles in the modulation of antinociception and a variety of behavioral states like anxiety, depression, and drug abuse. KOR agonists are known to produce potent analgesic effects and have been used clinically for the treatment of pain, while KOR antagonists have shown efficacy in the treatment of anxiety and depression. This review summarizes the history, design strategy, discovery, and development of KOR ligands.

Poly (ethylene glycol) hydrogel scaffolds with multiscale porosity for culture of human adipose-derived stem cells.

Three-dimensional (3 D) hydrogel scaffolds are an attractive option for tissue regeneration applications because they allow for cell migration, fluid exchange, and can be synthesized to closely mimic the physical properties of the extracellular matrix environment. The material properties of hydrogels play a vital role in cellular migration and differentiation. In light of this, in-depth understanding of material properties is required before such scaffolds can be used to study their influence on cells.

Effects of post-processing methods on chitosan-genipin hydrogel properties.

Biopolymer based hydrogel materials are attractive options for a variety of medical applications, including drug delivery and tissue regeneration because of their innate biomimetic material properties. While biopolymers are typically selected for a specific application based off of their chemical properties; the overall material structure of the resulting hydrogel ultimately relates to its ability to function for its intended application. In view of this, it is imperative that the impact of commonly used drying procedures on hydrogel physical properties is well understood.