Extracellular matrix-induced signaling pathways in mesenchymal stem/stromal cells.

The extracellular matrix (ECM) is a crucial component of the stem cell microenvironment, or stem-cell niches, and contributes to the regulation of cell behavior and fate. Accumulating evidence indicates that different types of stem cells possess a large variety of molecules responsible for interactions with the ECM, mediating specific epigenetic rearrangements and corresponding changes in transcriptome profile. Signals from the ECM are crucial at all stages of ontogenesis, including embryonic and postnatal development, as well as tissue renewal and repair.

Three-Dimensional-Printed Molds from Water-Soluble Sulfate Ceramics for Biocomposite Formation through Low-Pressure Injection Molding.

Powder mixtures of MgSO with 5-20 mol.% NaSO or KSO were used as precursors for making water-soluble ceramic molds to create thermoplastic polymer/calcium phosphate composites by low pressure injection molding. To increase the strength of the ceramic molds, 5 wt.

Plasmonic features of free-standing chitosan nanocomposite film with silver and graphene oxide for SERS applications.

A scalable procedure of SERS substrates design was developed using a novel plasmonic structure based on a freestanding chitosan film, silver nanoparticles, and graphene oxide. Chitosan provides a uniform distribution of silver nanoparticles from a colloidal suspension and, therefore, a reproducible Raman signal from local areas of measurements of several tens of microns. The addition of graphene oxide (GO) to the colloidal solution of silver nanoparticles suppresses the tortuous background fluorescence signal from the analyte and leads to an increase in the signal-to-fluorescence background intensity ratio by up to 6 times as compared to structures without GO.

Simultaneous monitoring of sweat lactate content and sweat secretion rate by wearable remote biosensors.

We report on the simultaneous monitoring of sweat lactate concentration and sweat secretion rate. For this aim lactate oxidase-Prussian Blue enzyme-nanozyme type lactate biosensors were elaborated. The use of siloxane-perfluorosulfonated ionomer composite membrane for enzyme-nanozyme immobilization results in the biosensor displaying flux independence in the whole range of physiological sweat secretion rates (0.

Stereolithographic fabrication of three-dimensional permeable scaffolds from CaP/PEGDA hydrogel biocomposites for use as bone grafts.

Polyethylene glycol diacrylate-based hydrogels filled with calcium phosphates (CaP, Ca/P < 1.5) were stereolithographically fabricated as three-dimensional permeable biocomposites for bone tissue regeneration, probed by several instrumental techniques (including scanning electron microscopy, infrared and UV-vis spectroscopy), and subjected to rheological/mechanical property analysis. As the CaP content increased from 0 to 10 wt%, Young's modulus and mechanical strength increased from 4 to 11 kPa and from 34 to 167 kPa, respectively.