Mechanically conditioned cell sheets cultured on thermo-responsive surfaces promote bone regeneration.

Cell sheet-based scaffold-free technology holds promise for tissue engineering applications and has been extensively explored during the past decades. However, efficient harvest and handling of cell sheets remain challenging, including insufficient extracellular matrix content and poor mechanical strength. Mechanical loading has been widely used to enhance extracellular matrix production in a variety of cell types.

Moderate mechanical stimulation antagonizes inflammation of annulus fibrosus cells through YAP-mediated suppression of NF-κB signaling.

Intervertebral disc degeneration (IDD) is a leading cause of low back pain. The inflammatory responses caused by aberrant mechanical loading are one of the major factors leading to annulus fibrosus (AF) degeneration and IDD. Previous studies have suggested that moderate cyclic tensile strain (CTS) can regulate anti-inflammatory activities of AF cells (AFCs), and Yes-associated protein (YAP) as a mechanosensitive coactivator senses diverse types of biomechanical stimuli and translates them into biochemical signals controlling cell behaviors.

Engineering the viscoelasticity of gelatin methacryloyl (GelMA) hydrogels via small "dynamic bridges" to regulate BMSC behaviors for osteochondral regeneration.

The dynamic extracellular matrix (ECM) constantly affects the behaviors of cells. To mimic the dynamics of ECM with controllable stiffness and energy dissipation, this study proposes a strategy in which a small molecule, 3,4-dihydroxybenzaldehyde (DB), was used as fast "dynamic bridges'' to construct viscoelastic gelatin methacryloyl (GelMA)-based hydrogels. The storage modulus and loss modulus of hydrogels were independently adjusted by the covalent crosslinking density and by the number of dynamic bonds.

Correction: Preparation and characterizations of an injectable and biodegradable high-strength iron-bearing brushite cement for bone repair and vertebral augmentation applications.

Correction for 'Preparation and characterizations of an injectable and biodegradable high-strength iron-bearing brushite cement for bone repair and vertebral augmentation applications' by Luguang Ding , , 2023, , 96-107, https://doi.org/10.1039/D2BM01535H.

High-resolution 3D printing of angle-ply annulus fibrosus scaffolds for intervertebral disc regeneration.

Intervertebral disc (IVD) degeneration is one of the leading causes of disability, and current therapies are mainly unsatisfactory. The key pathological feature during IVD degeneration is the dysfunction of annulus fibrosus (AF). Although tissue-engineered AF has shown great promise for IVD regeneration, the design and fabrication of biomimetic AF scaffold remains a challenge due to the complexity of its structure.

Preparation and characterizations of an injectable and biodegradable high-strength iron-bearing brushite cement for bone repair and vertebral augmentation applications.

Brushite cements have good osteoconductive and resorbable properties, but the low mechanical strength and poor injectability limit their clinical applications in load-bearing conditions and minimally invasive surgery. In this study, an injectable brushite cement that contains monocalcium phosphate monohydrate (MCPM) and β-tricalcium phosphate (β-TCP) as its solid phase and ammonium ferric citrate (AFC) solution as the aqueous medium was designed to have high mechanical strength. The optimized formulation achieved a compressive strength of 62.

Fucoidan-loaded nanofibrous scaffolds promote annulus fibrosus repair by ameliorating the inflammatory and oxidative microenvironments in degenerative intervertebral discs.

Tissue engineering holds potential in the treatment of intervertebral disc degeneration (IDD). However, implantation of tissue engineered constructs may cause foreign body reaction and aggravate the inflammatory and oxidative microenvironment of the degenerative intervertebral disc (IVD). In order to ameliorate the adverse microenvironment of IDD, in this study, we prepared a biocompatible poly (ether carbonate urethane) urea (PECUU) nanofibrous scaffold loaded with fucoidan, a natural marine bioactive polysaccharide which has great anti-inflammatory and antioxidative functions.

Moderate mechanical stimulation rescues degenerative annulus fibrosus by suppressing caveolin-1 mediated pro-inflammatory signaling pathway.

Mechanical loading can induce or antagonize the extracellular matrix (ECM) synthesis, proliferation, migration, and inflammatory responses of annulus fibrosus cells (AFCs), depending on the loading mode and level. Caveolin-1 (Cav1), the core protein of caveolae, plays an important role in cellular mechanotransduction and inflammatory responses. In the present study, we presented that AFCs demonstrated different behaviors when subjected to cyclic tensile strain (CTS) for 24 h at a magnitude of 0%, 2%, 5% and 12%, respectively.

Substrate Topography Regulates Differentiation of Annulus Fibrosus-Derived Stem Cells via CAV1-YAP-Mediated Mechanotransduction.

Regeneration of annulus fibrosus (AF) through tissue engineering techniques shows promise as a treatment for patients with degenerative disc disease (DDD). Yet, it remains challenging because of the intrinsic heterogeneity of AF tissue and shortage of in-depth knowledge of its structure-function correlation. In the current study, we fabricated fibrous poly(ether carbonate urethane)urea (PECUU) scaffolds with various fiber sizes to mimic the microstructural feature of native AF and aimed to regulate the differentiation of AF-derived stem cells (AFSCs) by controlling the topographical cues of the scaffold.

Regulation of differentiation of annulus fibrosus-derived stem cells using heterogeneous electrospun fibrous scaffolds.

Background: Tissue engineering of the annulus fibrosus (AF) shows promise as a treatment for patients with degenerative disc disease (DDD). However, it remains challenging due to the intrinsic heterogeneity of AF tissue. Fabrication of scaffolds recapitulating the specific cellular, componential, and microstructural features of AF, therefore, is critical to successful AF tissue regeneration.

Tissue Engineering and Regenerative Medicine: Achievements, Future, and Sustainability in Asia.

Exploring innovative solutions to improve the healthcare of the aging and diseased population continues to be a global challenge. Among a number of strategies toward this goal, tissue engineering and regenerative medicine (TERM) has gradually evolved into a promising approach to meet future needs of patients. TERM has recently received increasing attention in Asia, as evidenced by the markedly increased number of researchers, publications, clinical trials, and translational products.

Substrate stiffness- and topography-dependent differentiation of annulus fibrosus-derived stem cells is regulated by Yes-associated protein.

Annulus fibrosus (AF) tissue engineering has attracted increasing attention as a promising therapy for degenerative disc disease (DDD). However, regeneration of AF still faces many challenges due to the tremendous complexity of this tissue and lack of in-depth understanding of the structure-function relationship at cellular level within AF is highly required. In light of the fact that AF is composed of various types of cells and has gradient mechanical, topographical and biochemical features along the radial direction.

Interleukin-1β induces apoptosis in annulus fibrosus cells through the extracellular signal-regulated kinase pathway.

Purpose: The loss of intervertebral disc (IVD) cells due to excessive apoptosis induced by inflammatory cytokines is a major cause of IVD degeneration. This study aims to explore the mechanism of interleukin-1β (IL-1β)-induced apoptosis of annulus fibrosus cells (AFCs). It's hypothesized that IL-1β induces apoptosis through the extracellular signal-regulated kinase (ERK) pathway in AFCs.

Antibacterial activity and osseointegration of silver-coated poly(ether ether ketone) prepared using the polydopamine-assisted deposition technique.

Poly(ether ether ketone) (PEEK) is a popular orthopaedic implant material due to the outstanding biocompatibility and mechanical properties. However, bacterial infections and aseptic loosening during implantation can cause many clinical problems that may eventually lead to implant failure. Therefore, endowing implants with antibacterial functions plays an important role in promoting integration between implants and bone tissue and ultimately, in successful implantation.

The novel gene pFAM134B positively regulates fat deposition in the subcutaneous fat of Sus scrofa.

In this study, we analyzed the global gene expression profiles in the subcutaneous fat (SAT) of Jinhua pigs and Landrace pigs at 90d. Several genes were significantly highly expressed in Jinhua pigs, including genes encoding the rate limiting enzymes in the TCA cycle, fatty acid activation, fatty acid synthesis and triglyceride synthesis. We identified a novel gene tagged by the EST sequences as public No.

Selenium‑enriched exopolysaccharides produced by Enterobacter cloacae Z0206 alleviate adipose inflammation in diabetic KKAy mice through the AMPK/SirT1 pathway.

Polysaccharides belong to a structurally diverse class of macromolecules, with the necessary flexibility for the precise regulatory mechanisms and high capacity for carrying biological information. On the basis of a previous study regarding the administration of selenium-enriched exopolysaccharides (Se-ECZ-EPS) produced by Enterobacter cloacae (E. cloacae) Z0206 which resulted in a reduction of blood glucose levels and showed significant anti-inflammatory and anti-diabetic effects, the present study was conducted to evaluate the effects and mechanism of EPS on the alleviation of fat inflammation in high-fat-diet (HFD) induced-diabetic KKAy mice.

Distinctive genes determine different intramuscular fat and muscle fiber ratios of the longissimus dorsi muscles in Jinhua and landrace pigs.

Meat quality is determined by properties such as carcass color, tenderness and drip loss. These properties are closely associated with meat composition, which includes the types of muscle fiber and content of intramuscular fat (IMF). Muscle fibers are the main contributors to meat mass, while IMF not only contributes to the sensory properties but also to the plethora of physical, chemical and technological properties of meat.