Publications by authors named "J Castracane"
Article Synopsis
- Scaffold-based regenerative strategies can enhance cell growth by mimicking the physical and biochemical properties of the extracellular matrix (ECM) in soft tissues.
- Existing scaffolds struggle to replicate all aspects of healthy ECM, such as composition and mechanical properties, which is addressed in this study.
- The study used cryoelectrospinning to create compliant, 3D porous scaffolds that support cell survival and mimic essential properties of salivary gland ECM, indicating their potential for regenerative medicine.
Article Synopsis
- The study reveals that aligned collagen fibers support the rapid migration of single tumor cells in vivo, facilitating their invasion and eventual metastasis.
- Researchers discovered that tumor cells migrate faster on narrower collagen fibers (700 nm-2.5 µm) and exhibit nuclear deformation, linking this process to molecular structures such as the LINC complex and signaling pathways.
- The findings suggest that disruption of the LINC complex enhances tumor cell motility and alters nuclear shape, emphasizing the role of actomyosin dynamics and mechanotransduction in cancer cell behaviors.
Characterization of nanofibers for tissue engineering: Chemical mapping by Confocal Raman microscopy.
Spectrochim Acta A Mol Biomol Spectrosc
February 2020
Nanofiber scaffolds are used in bioengineering for functional support of growing tissues. To fine tune nanofiber properties for specific applications, it is often necessary to characterize the spatial distribution of their chemical content. Raman spectroscopy is a common tool used to characterize chemical composition of various materials, including nanofibers.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFThe transcoelomic metastasis pathway is an alternative to traditional lymphatic/hematogenic metastasis. It is most frequently observed in ovarian cancer, though it has been documented in colon and gastric cancers as well. In transcoelomic metastasis, primary tumor cells are released into the abdominal cavity and form cell aggregates known as spheroids.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFFundamental challenges of targeting specific brain regions for treatment using pharmacotherapeutic nanoparticle (NP) carriers include circumventing the blood-brain-barrier (BBB) and tracking delivery. Angiopep-2 (AP2) has been shown to facilitate the transport of large macromolecules and synthetic nanoparticles across the BBB. Thus, conjugation of AP2 to an MS2 bacteriophage based NP should also permit transport across the BBB.
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