Electrospun PCL Nerve Wrap Coated with Graphene Oxide Supports Axonal Growth in a Rat Sciatic Nerve Injury Model.

Peripheral nerve injuries (PNIs) are a debilitating problem, resulting in diminished quality of life due to the continued presence of both chronic and acute pain. The current standard of practice for the repair of PNIs larger than 10 mm is the use of autologous nerve grafts. Autologous nerve grafts have limitations that often result in outcomes that are not sufficient to remove motor and sensory impairments.

Isolation and Characterization of Canine Adipose-Derived Mesenchymal Stromal Cells: Considerations in Translation from Laboratory to Clinic.

In allogeneic MSC implantation, the cells are isolated from a donor different from the recipient. When tested, allogeneic MSCs have several advantages over autologous ones: faster cell growth, sufficient cell concentration, and readily available cells for clinics. To ensure the safe and efficient use of allogeneic MSCs in clinics, the MSCs need to be first tested in vitro.

Novel Kraft Softwood Lignin-Derived Carbon Quantum Dots: Synthesis, Characterization, and In Vitro Cytocompatibility.

Carbon quantum dots (CQDs) have been investigated for biomedical applications in medical imaging due to their fluorescent properties, overall long-term stability, and excellent cytocompatibility and biocompatibility. Lignin is an organic polymer in the tissues of woody plants. It is also considered a byproduct of the wood and pulp industries.

Equine bone marrow MSC-derived extracellular vesicles mitigate the inflammatory effects of interleukin-1β on navicular tissues in vitro.

Background: Safe, efficacious therapy for treating degenerate deep digital flexor tendon (DDFT) and navicular bone fibrocartilage (NBF) in navicular horses is critically necessary. While archetypal orthobiologic therapies for navicular disease are used empirically, their safety and efficacy are unknown. Mesenchymal stem cell-derived extracellular vesicles (EV) may overcome several limitations of current orthobiologic therapies.

Interactions of Cells and Biomaterials for Nerve Tissue Engineering: Polymers and Fabrication.

Neural injuries affect millions globally, significantly impacting their quality of life. The inability of these injuries to heal, limited ability to regenerate, and the lack of available treatments make regenerative medicine and tissue engineering a promising field of research for developing methods for nerve repair. This review evaluates the use of natural and synthetic polymers, and the fabrication methods applied that influence a cell's behavior.

Assembling Spheroids of Rat Primary Neurons Using a Stress-Free 3D Culture System.

Neural injuries disrupt the normal functions of the nervous system, whose complexities limit current treatment options. Because of their enhanced therapeutic effects, neurospheres have the potential to advance the field of regenerative medicine and neural tissue engineering. Methodological steps can pose challenges for implementing neurosphere assemblies; for example, conventional static cultures hinder yield and throughput, while the presence of the necrotic core, time-consuming methodology, and high variability can slow their progression to clinical application.

Xenogenic Implantation of Human Mesenchymal Stromal Cells Using a Novel 3D-Printed Scaffold of PLGA and Graphene Leads to a Significant Increase in Bone Mineralization in a Rat Segmental Femoral Bone Defect.

Tissue-engineering technologies have the potential to provide an effective approach to bone regeneration. Based on the published literature and data from our laboratory, two biomaterial inks containing PLGA and blended with graphene nanoparticles were fabricated. The biomaterial inks consisted of two forms of commercially available PLGA with varying ratios of LA:GA (65:35 and 75:25) and molecular weights of 30,000-107,000.

A pilot study to demonstrate the paracrine effect of equine, adult allogenic mesenchymal stem cells , with a potential for healing of experimentally-created, equine thoracic wounds .

Regenerative biological therapies using mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) are being studied and used extensively in equine veterinary medicine. One of the important properties of MSCs is the cells' reparative effect, which is brought about by paracrine signaling, which results in the release of biologically active molecules, which in turn, can affect cellular migration and proliferation, thus a huge potential in wound healing. The objective of the current study was to demonstrate the and potentials of equine allogenic bone marrow-derived MSCs for wound healing.

3D-Printing Graphene Scaffolds for Bone Tissue Engineering.

Graphene-based materials have recently gained attention for regenerating various tissue defects including bone, nerve, cartilage, and muscle. Even though the potential of graphene-based biomaterials has been realized in tissue engineering, there are significantly many more studies reporting in vitro and in vivo data in bone tissue engineering. Graphene constructs have mainly been studied as two-dimensional (2D) substrates when biological organs are within a three-dimensional (3D) environment.

Mesenchymal Stem Cell Use in Acute Tendon Injury: In Vitro Tenogenic Potential vs. In Vivo Dose Response.

Stem cell therapy for the treatment of tendon injury is an emerging clinical practice in the fields of human and veterinary sports medicine; however, the therapeutic benefit of intralesional transplantation of mesenchymal stem cells in tendonitis cases is not well designed. Questions persist regarding the overall tenogenic potential and efficacy of this treatment alone. In this study, we aimed to isolate a rat mesenchymal stem cell lineage for in vitro and in vivo use, to assess the effects of growth factor exposure in vitro on cell morphology, behavior, and tendon-associated glycoprotein production, and to assess the therapeutic potential of intralesional stem cells, as a function of dose, in vivo.

Effects on Tissue Integration of Collagen Scaffolds Used for Local Delivery of Gentamicin in a Rat Mandible Defect Model.

Surgical site infections (SSIs) are a common complication following orthopedic surgery. SSIs may occur secondary to traumatic or contaminated wounds or may result from invasive procedures. The development of biofilms is often associated with implanted materials used to stabilize injuries and to facilitate healing.

Etched 3D-Printed Polycaprolactone Constructs Functionalized with Reduced Graphene Oxide for Enhanced Attachment of Dental Pulp-Derived Stem Cells.

A core challenge in the field of tissue engineering is the ability to establish pipeline workflows for the design and characterization of scaffold technologies with clinically translatable attributes. The parallel development of biomaterials and stem cell populations represents a self-sufficient and streamlined approach for establishing such a pipeline. In the current study, rat dental pulp stem cell (rDPSC) populations were established to assess functionalized polycaprolactone (PCL) constructs.

Muscle Regeneration of the Tongue: A Review of Current Clinical and Regenerative Research Strategies.

Various abnormalities of the tongue, including cancers, commonly require surgical removal to sequester growth and metastasis. However, even minor resections can affect functional outcomes such as speech and swallowing, thereby reducing quality of life. Surgical resections alone create volumetric muscle loss whereby muscle tissue cannot self-regenerate within the tongue.

Genetic profiling of human bone marrow and adipose tissue-derived mesenchymal stem cells reveals differences in osteogenic signaling mediated by graphene.

Background: In the last decade, graphene surfaces have consistently supported osteoblast development of stem cells, holding promise as a therapeutic implant for degenerative bone diseases. However, until now no study has specifically examined the genetic changes when stem cells undergo osteogenic differentiation on graphene.

Results: In this study, we provide a detailed overview of gene expressions when human mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) derived from either adipose tissue (AD-MSCs) or bone marrow (BM-MSCs), are cultured on graphene.

Effects of Normal Synovial Fluid and Interferon Gamma on Chondrogenic Capability and Immunomodulatory Potential Respectively on Equine Mesenchymal Stem Cells.

Synovial fluid contains cytokines, growth factors and resident mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs). The present study aimed to (1) determine the effects of autologous and allogeneic synovial fluid on viability, proliferation and chondrogenesis of equine bone marrow MSCs (BMMSCs) and (2) compare the immunomodulatory properties of equine synovial fluid MSCs (SFMSCs) and BMMSCs after stimulation with interferon gamma (INF-γ). To meet the first aim of the study, the proliferation and viability of MSCs were evaluated by MTS and calcein AM staining assays.

Bone and Cartilage Interfaces With Orthopedic Implants: A Literature Review.

The interface between a surgical implant and tissue consists of a complex and dynamic environment characterized by mechanical and biological interactions between the implant and surrounding tissue. The implantation process leads to injury which needs to heal over time and the rapidity of this process as well as the property of restored tissue impact directly the strength of the interface. Bleeding is the first and most relevant step of the healing process because blood provides growth factors and cellular material necessary for tissue repair.

Examining the Characteristics and Applications of Mesenchymal, Induced Pluripotent, and Embryonic Stem Cells for Tissue Engineering Approaches across the Germ Layers.

The field of regenerative medicine utilizes a wide array of technologies and techniques for repairing and restoring function to damaged tissues. Among these, stem cells offer one of the most potent and promising biological tools to facilitate such goals. Implementation of mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs), induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs), and embryonic stem cells (ESCs) offer varying advantages based on availability and efficacy in the target tissue.

Human Fat-Derived Mesenchymal Stem Cells Xenogenically Implanted in a Rat Model Show Enhanced New Bone Formation in Maxillary Alveolar Tooth Defects.

Background: Due to restorative concerns, bone regenerative therapies have garnered much attention in the field of human oral/maxillofacial surgery. Current treatments using autologous and allogenic bone grafts suffer from inherent challenges, hence the ideal bone replacement therapy is yet to be found. Establishing a model by which MSCs can be placed in a clinically acceptable bone defect to promote bone healing will prove valuable to oral/maxillofacial surgeons.

Functionalized Graphene Nanoparticles Induce Human Mesenchymal Stem Cells to Express Distinct Extracellular Matrix Proteins Mediating Osteogenesis.

Purpose: The extracellular matrix (ECM) labyrinthine network secreted by mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) provides a microenvironment that enhances cell adherence, proliferation, viability, and differentiation. The potential of graphene-based nanomaterials to mimic a tissue-specific ECM has been recognized in designing bone tissue engineering scaffolds. In this study, we investigated the expression of specific ECM proteins when human fat-derived adult MSCs adhered and underwent osteogenic differentiation in the presence of functionalized graphene nanoparticles.

Multiomics Evaluation of Human Fat-Derived Mesenchymal Stem Cells on an Osteobiologic Nanocomposite.

Effective graft technologies for bone repair have been a primary focus in the field of bone tissue engineering. We have previously fabricated and examined a nanocomposite composed of polyurethane, nano-hydroxyapatite, and decellularized bone particles, which demonstrated osteobiologic characteristics. To evaluate the underlying mechanisms of this biomaterial, human adipose-derived mesenchymal stem cell seeded scaffolds were assessed using a combinatorial approach of transcriptomic and metabolomic analyses.

Biometric Data Comparison Between Lewis and Sprague Dawley Rats.

Pressure mapping systems are often used for indirect assessment of kinematic gait parameter differences after repair of critical peripheral nerve defects in small animal models. However, there does not appear to be any literature that studies the differences in normal gait pattern of Sprague Dawley rats compared to Lewis rats using a Tekscan VH4 pressure mat system. The purpose of this study is to assess the gait profile of Lewis and Sprague Dawley rats generated by Tekscan's VH4 system to detect similarities and/or differences in gait parameters involving both force and temporal variables.

Use of a pressure-sensing walkway system for biometric assessment of gait characteristics in goats.

The purpose of this study was to quantitatively assess gait characteristics and weight-bearing forces during ambulation in goats free of lameness using a pressure-sensing walkway as a biometric tool for stride, gait, and force analysis. Forty-six non-lame adult goats ranging in age from 5 to 6 years, mixed-breeds, and with a mean body weight of 52 ± 7.1 kgs were used.

Commercially available bone graft substitutes: the impact of origin and processing on graft functionality.

Development of effective and cost-efficient bone tissue engineering grafts has been the key area of research for regenerative medicine, yet an ideal grafting material has remained elusive due in large part to the highly dynamic nature of bone. A wide array of materials, both natural and synthetic, have been implemented as potential candidates for commercially available products, yet the gold standard for grafting material still remains autogenous bone. We review currently commercially available bone graft materials and relevant graft characteristics that impact the effectiveness of tissue repair, emphasizing the advantages and disadvantages of materials based on composition and origin.

Plasmonic Nanofactors as Switchable Devices to Promote or Inhibit Neuronal Activity and Function.

Gold nanosystems have been investigated extensively for a variety of applications, from specific cancer cell targeting to tissue regeneration. Specifically, a recent and exciting focus has been the gold nanosystems' interface with neuronal biology. Researchers are investigating the ability to use these systems neuronal applications ranging from the enhancement of stem cell differentiation and therapy to stimulation or inhibition of neuronal activity.

Evaluation of a Polyurethane Platform for Delivery of Nanohydroxyapatite and Decellularized Bone Particles in a Porous Three-Dimensional Scaffold.

The complex dynamic nature of bone tissue presents a unique challenge for developing optimal biomaterials within the field of bone tissue engineering. Materials based on biological and physiological characteristics of natural bone have shown promise for inducing and promoting effective bone repair. Design of multicomposite scaffolds that incorporate both malleable and hard mineral components allows for intricate structures with nano- and macrosized mineral components to provide architectural elements that promote osteogenesis.