Enteric neuronal substrates underlying spontaneous and evoked neurogenic contractions in mouse colon.

Background And Aims: Gastrointestinal motility persists when peripheral cholinergic signaling is blocked genetically or pharmacologically, and a recent study suggests nitric oxide drives propagating neurogenic contractions.

Methods: To determine the neuronal substrates that underlie these contractions, we measured contractile-associated movements together with calcium responses of cholinergic or nitrergic myenteric neurons in un-paralyzed ex vivo preparations of whole mouse colon. We chose to look at these two subpopulations because they encompass nearly all myenteric neurons.

Flexible and Robust Piezoelectric Chitosan Films with Enhanced Bioactivity.

Chitosan (CHT) is a known piezoelectric biomacromolecule; however, its usage is limited due to rapid degradation in an aqueous system. Herein, we prepared CHT film via a solvent casting method and cross-linked in an alkaline solution. Sodium hydroxide facilitated deprotonation, leading to increased intramolecular hydrogen bonding and mechanical properties.

Collagen as a bio-ink for 3D printing: a critical review.

The significance of three-dimensional (3D) bioprinting in the domain of regenerative medicine and tissue engineering is readily apparent. To create a multi-functional bioinspired structure, 3D bioprinting requires high-performance bioinks. Bio-inks refer to substances that encapsulate viable cells and are employed in the printing procedure to construct 3D objects progressive through successive layers.

Monovalent and Divalent Designs of Copper Radiotheranostics Targeting Fibroblast Activation Protein in Cancer.

: Fibroblast activation protein (FAP)-targeted theranostic radiopharmaceuticals have shown desired tumor-to-background organ selectivity due to the ubiquitous presence of FAP within the tumor microenvironment. However, suboptimal tumor retention and fast clearance have hindered their use to deliver effective cancer therapies. With well-documented FAP-targeting moieties and linkers appending them to optimal chelators, the development of copper radiopharmaceuticals has attracted considerable interest, given the fact that an ideal theranostic pair of copper radionuclides (Cu: t = 12.