3D printed gelatin methacryloyl hydrogels for perfusion culture of human trabecular meshwork cells and glaucoma studies.

Glaucoma, a progressive eye disease leading to irreversible blindness, currently affects over 70 million people globally. Elevated intraocular pressure (IOP) is implicated in its development. IOP is carefully regulated by the trabecular meshwork (TM).

Sustained release of MAPK14-targeting siRNA from polyelectrolyte complex hydrogels mitigates MSC osteogenesis in vitro with potential application in growth plate injury.

The growth plate is a cartilage structure at the end of long bones which mediates growth in children. When fractured, the formation of bony repair tissue known as a "bony bar" can occur and cause limb deformities. There are currently no effective clinical solutions for the prevention of the bony bar formation or regeneration of healthy growth plate cartilage after a fracture.

Cell-instructive biomaterials in tissue engineering and regenerative medicine.

The field of biomaterials aims to improve regenerative outcomes or scientific understanding for a wide range of tissue types and ailments. Biomaterials can be fabricated from natural or synthetic sources and display a plethora of mechanical, electrical, and geometrical properties dependent on their desired application. To date, most biomaterial systems designed for eventual translation to the clinic rely on soluble signaling moieties, such as growth factors, to elicit a specific cellular response.

Self-Initiated Photopolymerization of Anti-Inflammatory Zwitterionic Hydrogels with Sustained Release.

Hydrogels are three-dimensional networks of hydrophilic polymers that have garnered significant attention as wound-healing materials. Many synthetic hydrogels are fabricated using a radical polymerization approach that requires an initiator molecule that is often photo- or thermosensitive. Initiator-free hydrogels are an emerging area of research that focuses on hydrogel fabrication that occurs in the absence of an initiator or cross-linker molecule, making these hydrogels highly relevant in tissue engineering and regenerative medicine due to their excellent cytocompatibility and ease of scale-up.

Glycosaminoglycans Influence Extracellular Matrix of Human Trabecular Meshwork Cells Cultured on 3D Scaffolds.

Glaucoma is a multifactorial progressive optic neuropathy characterized by the loss of retinal ganglion cells leading to irreversible blindness. It is the leading cause of global irreversible blindness and is currently affecting over 70 million people. Elevated intraocular pressure (IOP) is considered the only modifiable risk factor and is a target of numerous treatment modalities.

Polyelectrolyte Complex Hydrogels with Controlled Mechanics Affect Mesenchymal Stem Cell Differentiation Relevant to Growth Plate Injuries.

The growth plate is a complex cartilage structure in long bones that mediates growth in children. When injured, the formation of a "bony bar" can occur which impedes normal growth and can cause angular deformities or growth arrest. Current treatments for growth plate injuries are limited and result in poor patient outcomes, necessitating research toward novel treatments that can prevent bony bar formation and stimulate cartilage regeneration.

Fabrication of Size-Controlled and Emulsion-Free Chitosan-Genipin Microgels for Tissue Engineering Applications.

Chitosan microgels are of significant interest in tissue engineering due to their wide range of applications, low cost, and immunogenicity. However, chitosan microgels are commonly fabricated using emulsion methods that require organic solvent rinses, which are toxic and harmful to the environment. The present protocol presents a rapid, non-cytotoxic, non-emulsion-based method for fabricating chitosan-genipin microgels without the need for organic solvent rinses.

Photoinduced Gelatin-Methacrylate Scaffolds to Examine the Impact of Extracellular Environment on Trabecular Meshwork Cells.

Glaucoma is the leading cause of irreversible blindness in the world, currently impacting 80 million people. Patients suffering from primary open-angle glaucoma experience aqueous humor accumulation within the eye causing an increase in intraocular pressure (IOP). The main cause of this rise in IOP is due to poor outflow of aqueous humor through the trabecular meshwork (TM), a tissue composed of collagen and glycosaminoglycans (GAGs) embedded with TM cells.

Topical gel-based biomaterials for the treatment of diabetic foot ulcers.

Diabetic foot ulcers (DFUs) are a devastating ailment for many diabetic patients with increasing prevalence and morbidity. The complex pathophysiology of DFU wound environments has made finding effective treatments difficult. Standard wound care treatments have limited efficacy in healing these types of chronic wounds.

Tunable chitosan-calcium phosphate composites as cell-instructive dental pulp capping agents.

Dental cavities are the most prevalent, preventable disease worldwide providing a need for robust treatment options to restore both the form and function of decaying teeth. Here is a presentation of a possible regenerative pulp capping agent that can serve to restore tooth function while regenerating healthy dentin tissue over a long period of time. To achieve this goal a material needs to crosslink quickly, be structurally rigid, and support the proliferation and differentiation of stem cells contained within the dental pulp.

Anti-VEGF antibody delivered locally reduces bony bar formation following physeal injury in rats.

Physeal injuries can result in the formation of a "bony bar" which can lead to bone growth arrest and deformities in children. Vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) has been shown to play a role in bony bar formation, making it a potential target to inhibit bony repair tissue after physeal injury. The goal of this study was to investigate whether the local delivery of anti-VEGF antibody (α-VEGF; 7.

Human trabecular meshwork cell behavior is influenced by collagen scaffold pore architecture and glycosaminoglycan composition.

Glaucoma is a degenerative eye disease in which damage to the optic nerve leads to a characteristic loss of vision. The primary risk factor for glaucoma is an increased intraocular pressure that is caused by an imbalance of aqueous humor generation and subsequent drainage through the trabecular meshwork (TM) drainage system. The small size, donor tissue limitations, and high complexity of the TM make it difficult to research the relationship between the TM cells and their immediate environment.

In vivo degradation rate of alginate-chitosan hydrogels influences tissue repair following physeal injury.

The physis is a cartilaginous tissue in children's long bones that is responsible for bone elongation. Physeal injuries can heal with bony repair tissue known as a "bony bar," and this can cause growth deformities. Current treatments involve surgical resection of the bony bar and insertion of inert materials in hopes of preventing bony bar re-formation and preserving bone elongation.

Injectable, self-healable zwitterionic cryogels with sustained microRNA - cerium oxide nanoparticle release promote accelerated wound healing.

Diabetics are prone to chronic wounds that have slower healing, and methods of accelerating the wound closure and to ensure protection from infections are critically needed. MicroRNA-146a gets dysregulated in diabetic wounds and injection of this microRNA combined with reactive oxygen species-scavenging cerium oxide nanoparticles (CNPs) can reduce inflammation and improve wound healing; however, a better delivery method than intradermal injections is needed. Here we demonstrate a biomaterial system of zwitterionic cryogels (gels formed below freezing temperatures) laden with CNP-miR146a that are topically applicable, injectable, self-healable, and provide sustained release of the therapeutic molecules.

Imaging and Analysis of Cellular Locations in Three-Dimensional Tissue Models.

The absence of quantitative in vitro cell-extracellular matrix models represents an important bottleneck for basic research and human health. Randomness of cellular distributions provides an opportunity for the development of a quantitative in vitro model. However, quantification of the randomness of random cell distributions is still lacking.

Microgels: Modular, tunable constructs for tissue regeneration.

Biopolymer microgels are emerging as a versatile tool for aiding in the regeneration of damaged tissues due to their biocompatible nature, tunable microporous structure, ability to encapsulate bioactive factors, and tailorable properties such as stiffness and composition. These properties of microgels, along with their injectability, have allowed for their utilization in a multitude of different tissue engineering applications. Controlled release of growth factors, antibodies, and other bioactive factors from microgels have demonstrated their capabilities as transporters for essential bioactive molecules necessary for guiding tissue reconstruction.

Correction: Sustained delivery of anti-VEGF from injectable hydrogel systems provides a prolonged decrease of endothelial cell proliferation and angiogenesis .

[This corrects the article DOI: 10.1039/C7RA13014G.].

Sustained delivery of anti-VEGF from injectable hydrogel systems provides a prolonged decrease of endothelial cell proliferation and angiogenesis .

Therapeutic antibodies are attractive treatment options for numerous diseases based on their ability to target and bind to specific proteins or antigens. Bevacizumab, an antiangiogenic antibody, has shown promise for multiple diseases, including various cancers and macular degeneration, where excessive VEGF secretion induces aberrant angiogenesis. In many cases local, sustained delivery of a therapeutic antibody would be preferable to maximize the therapeutic at the disease site, eliminate the need for repeated doses, and reduce systemic side effects.

Cell-interactive alginate-chitosan biopolymer systems with tunable mechanics and antibody release rates.

This work investigates techniques to produce biocompatible hydrogels with tunable stiffness without the addition of crosslinking agents or altering cell binding sites. Alginate and water-soluble chitosan salts were used to form polyelectrolyte complexes (PECs), where the storage and loss moduli could be increased by raising gelation temperatures. The largest change, a 6.

Bioinspired Deposition-Conversion Synthesis of Tunable Calcium Phosphate Coatings on Polymeric Hydrogels.

Inspired by natural mineralization processes, here we present the stepwise mineralization of hydrogels with synthetic control over the amount of deposited CaP and selective tuning of the coating composition. Alternate immersion of the hydrogel at 3 min intervals in calcium salt (Ca) and inorganic phosphate (P) solutions under mild aqueous conditions results in the layer-by-layer deposition of a precursor CaP polymorph, dicalcium phosphate dihydrate (DCPD, Ca/P 1.12 ± 0.

Regenerative Medicine Approaches for the Treatment of Pediatric Physeal Injuries.

The physis, or growth plate, is a cartilaginous region at the end of children's long bones that serves as the primary center for longitudinal growth and characterizes the immature skeleton. Musculoskeletal injury, including fracture, infection, malignancy, or iatrogenic damage, has risk of physeal damage. Physeal injuries account for 30% of pediatric fractures and may result in impaired bone growth.

A Rat Tibial Growth Plate Injury Model to Characterize Repair Mechanisms and Evaluate Growth Plate Regeneration Strategies.

A third of all pediatric fractures involve the growth plate and can result in impaired bone growth. The growth plate (or physis) is cartilage tissue found at the end of all long bones in children that is responsible for longitudinal bone growth. Once damaged, cartilage tissue within the growth plate can undergo premature ossification and lead to unwanted bony repair tissue, which forms a "bony bar.