Search Results (9,136)

Medical titanium alloy Ti-6Al-4V (TC4) is widely used as a surgical implant material in biomedical fields owing to its superior biocompatibility, corrosion resistance, and mechanical performance, particularly for osseous integration applications. However, long-term contact of medical titanium-based implants with human soft tissues may induce infection and inflammation. To address these limitations, a drug-loading gel was designed to be synthesized on a TC4 surface to improve biointegration. Considering the critical regulatory roles of temperature and pH in physiological environments, this study synthesized a dual-responsive hydrogel using the temperature-sensitive monomers 2-(2-methoxyethoxy)ethyl methacrylate (MEO₂MA) and oligoethylene glycol methacrylate (OEGMA) and the pH-sensitive monomer diethylaminoethyl methacrylate (DEAEMA), employing stereocomplexed polylactic acid as a physical crosslinker and N,N′-methylenebisacrylamide (MBA) as a chemical crosslinker. A polydopamine-based initiator was synthesized via dopamine functionalization with 2-bromoisobutyryl bromide (BIBB). The amphiphilic co-network hydrogel was grafted onto a modified TC4 surface through atom transfer radical polymerization (ATRP). Integration of the drug-loading gel and TC4 gives the implant an “active therapeutic” function by localized drug release. The results demonstrated that the energy storage modulus of the double-crosslinked gel matched that of human soft tissues. The gels exhibited efficient drug release. Full article

Amphiphilic diblock copolymers comprising polyethylene glycol (PEG) and 1-vinyl imidazole (VIM) were synthesized using reversible addition–fragmentation chain transfer (RAFT) polymerization. The study focused on the synthesis of well-defined nanostructures with tunable composition and their functional modification for biomedical applications. The successful polymerization of PEG-b-PVIM diblock copolymers was confirmed via ¹H NMR spectroscopy, and their molecular weights were analyzed using gel permeation chromatography (GPC). The copolymers exhibited pH-responsive behavior, with effective pK values of approximately 4.2. To facilitate radiolabeling and in vivo tracking, a post-polymerization modification enabled the conjugation of a 1,4,7-Triazacyclononane-1,4,7-triacetic acid (NOTA) chelator via aminolysis. The final conjugates were purified and characterized, confirming successful functionalization. These findings highlight the potential of PEG_x-b-PVIM_y diblock copolymers for biomedical applications. Full article

Nanoliposomes have increased exponentially since their discovery in the 1960s, primarily for encapsulating medicines or compounds that can improve human health. However, recent studies propose nanoliposomes as vehicles to protect, transport, and subsequently release compounds of various kinds to fortify the properties of foods and cause a prolonged release of encapsulated substances in a specific part of the body. Among the compounds successfully encapsulated are β-carotene; α-carotene; vitamins A, C, and D; and lycopene, among others. The encapsulation of extracts with high contents of antioxidant pigments is still to be explored. Therefore, this review aims to compile the compounds that have been successfully encapsulated and have met the specific prolonged release criteria, highlighting areas of research opportunity and application such as biomedical, pharmaceutical, and nutraceutical industries. Full article

Bioelectronics for wearable and implantable biomedical devices has attracted significant attention due to its potential for continuous health monitoring, early disease diagnosis, and real-time therapeutic interventions. Among the various materials explored for bioelectronic applications, hydrogels derived from natural biopolymers have emerged as highly promising candidates, owing to their inherent biocompatibility, mechanical compliance akin to biological tissues, and tunable structural properties. This review provides a comprehensive overview of recent advancements in the design and application of protein-based hydrogels, including gelatin, collagen, silk fibroin, and gluten, as well as carbohydrate-based hydrogels such as chitosan, cellulose, alginate, and starch. Particular emphasis is placed on elucidating their intrinsic material characteristics, modification strategies to improve electrical and mechanical performance, and their applicability for bioelectronic interfaces. The review further explores their diverse applications in physiological and biochemical signal sensing, bioelectric signal recording, and electrical stimulation. Finally, current challenges and future perspectives are discussed to guide the ongoing innovation of hydrogel-based systems for next-generation bioelectronic technologies. Full article

Enzymes, as nature’s precision biocatalysts, hold transformative potential across industrial, environmental, and biomedical sectors. However, their instability, solvent sensitivity, and limited reusability in their free form necessitate advanced immobilization strategies to enhance their robustness and scalability. This review critically examines cutting-edge advancements in enzyme immobilization, focusing on the integration of artificial intelligence (AI), novel nanomaterials, and dynamic carrier systems to overcome the traditional limitations of mass transfer, enzyme leakage, and cost inefficiency. Key innovations such as metal–organic frameworks (MOFs), magnetic nanoparticles, self-healing hydrogels, and 3D-printed scaffolds are highlighted for their ability to optimize enzyme orientation, stability, and catalytic efficiency under extreme conditions. Moreover, AI-driven predictive modeling and machine learning emerge as pivotal tools for rationalizing nanomaterial synthesis, multi-enzyme cascade design, and toxicity assessment, while microfluidic systems enable precise biocatalyst fabrication. This review also explores emerging carrier-free strategies, including cross-linked enzyme aggregates (CLEAs) and DNA-directed immobilization, which minimize diffusion barriers and enhance substrate affinity. Despite progress, challenges persist in regards to eco-friendly nanomaterial production, industrial scalability, and real-world application viability. Future directions emphasize sustainable hybrid material design, AI-aided lifecycle assessments, and interdisciplinary synergies between synthetic biology, nanotechnology, and data analytics. By connecting laboratory innovation with industrial needs, this work provides a forward-thinking framework to harness immobilized enzymes for achieving global sustainability goals, particularly in bioremediation, bioenergy, and precision medicine. Full article

Sub-wavelength metallic nanostructures allow the squeezing of light within nanoscale regions, called plasmonic hotspots. Squeezed near-field light has been demonstrated to detect, modulate, and generate light in more effective ways. The enhanced electric field in the plasmonic hotspots are also utilized for identifying molecular fingerprints in a more sensitive manner, i.e., surface-enhanced Raman spectroscopy (SERS). SERS is a versatile tool used to characterize chemicals and biomolecules with the advantages of label-free detection, specificity, and high sensitivity compared to fluorescence and colorimetric sensing methods. With its practical and diverse applications such as biomedical sensing, the evaluation of SERS on diverse nano-structure platforms and materials is highly in demand. Nanogap structures are promising SERS platforms which can be fabricated over a large area with uniform nanoscale gap size. Here, we demonstrate the fabrication of large-area metal–insulator–metal nanogap structures with different metals (i.e., Au and Ag) and analyze material dependence on SERS. While both nanometer-sized gap structures exhibit a large enhancement factor for Raman spectroscopy, Ag-based structures exhibit 58- and 15-times-larger enhancement factors for bottom and top plasmonic hotspots, respectively. The enhanced detection on a silver nanogap platform is attributed to enhanced electric field in the gap, as confirmed by simulation. Our findings provide not only a way to better understand SERS in different metallic nano platforms but also insights for designing highly sensitive nanoscale chemical and biomedical sensors. Full article

Collagens and collagen-like proteins (CLPs) are the most abundant proteins distributed throughout the kingdom of organisms, including microorganisms, terrestrial animals, and marine animals. Due to their unique texture structure and prominent biocompatibility, collagens have been used as a crucial component of drug delivery systems. Herein, the composition and structure of collagens from different biological species were contrasted at first. Additionally, the biological function of collagen receptors was analyzed and summarized. The review focuses on the research progress of collagen as a biomaterial with excellent properties for delivering different drugs. As our understanding of the structure and function of collagen from different biological sources deepens, more new collagen materials and carriers with outstanding performance will continue to emerge and promote the application of collagen in the field of drug delivery. Full article

The growing demands for highly functional biomedical implants necessitate introducing innovative and easy-to-apply surface functionalization techniques, especially when it comes to stainless steel substrates. This study investigated the co-deposition of chitosan and Cu-doped bioactive glass on AISI 316L steel surfaces, with the latter providing a matrix in which fine bioactive glass powders are distributed. Cu-doping into the matrix of bioactive glass was conducted to assess its influence on the bioactivity, antibacterial properties, and structural integrity of the coating. The microstructure, mechanical properties, phase composition, and surface roughness of coated specimens were investigated through a scanning electron microscope (SEM), X-ray diffraction analysis (XRD), energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDS), inductively coupled plasma (ICP), contact angles, adhesion tensile tests, and laser profilometry analyses. Results of adhesion tests indicated that Cu addition did not have a major implication for the mechanical properties of the coating layers. Results also revealed that the Cu-doped bioactive glass featured a hydrophilic and a rather uneven surface, both being upsides for biomedical properties. The cytotoxicity and antibacterial assessments showed promising cell viability and antibacterial properties of the deposited coatings. Full article

Every year, millions of people worldwide suffer from bone tissue damage caused by bone trauma and surgical operations, as well as diseases such as osteoporosis, osteoarthritis, osteomyelitis, and periodontitis. Bone defect repair is one of the major challenges in the field of regenerative medicine. Although bone grafts are the gold standard for treating bone defects, factors such as donor sources and immune responses limit their application. Functionalized nanomaterials have become an effective means of treating bone diseases due to their good biocompatibility and osteoinductivity, anti-inflammatory, and antibacterial properties. Metal–organic frameworks (MOFs) are porous coordination polymers composed of metal ions and organic ligands, featuring unique physical properties, including a high surface area–volume ratio and porosity. In regenerative medicine, MOFs function as the functions of drug carriers, metal ion donors, nanozymes, and photosensitizers. When combined with other functional materials, they regulate cellular reactive oxygen species, macrophage phenotypic transformation, bone resorption, osteogenesis, and mineralization, providing a new paradigm for bone tissue engineering. This study reviews the classification of functionalized MOF composites in biomedicine and the application of their synthesis techniques in bone diseases. The unique in vivo and in vitro applications of MOFs in bone diseases, including osteoarthritis, osteoporosis, bone tumors, osteomyelitis, and periodontitis, are explored. Their properties include excellent drug loading and sustained release abilities, high antibacterial activity, and bone induction abilities. This review enables readers to better understand the cutting-edge progress of MOFs in bone regeneration applications, which is crucial for the design of and functional research on MOF-related nanomaterials. Full article

Fused Deposition Modeling (FDM) has evolved from a rapid prototyping technique to an established manufacturing process for various industrial applications, including aerospace, robotics, biomedical engineering, and food production. Despite its versatility, the surface quality and dimensional accuracy of FDM-printed parts remain significant challenges, limiting their applicability in high-performance and precision-driven industries. Some of the primary limitations of FDM are volumetric error, shape deviation, and surface roughness, which directly affect the mechanical properties and functional performance of printed components. Post-processing techniques are available to mitigate these problems. Among the available post-processing techniques, CNC machining has emerged as a viable solution for improving the surface finish and dimensional precision of FDM parts. The integration of subtractive CNC machining with additive FDM printing enables the development of hybrid manufacturing strategies, leveraging the design freedom of 3D printing while ensuring superior surface quality. This paper presents a comprehensive review of recent studies on CNC post-processing of FDM-printed parts, analyzing its impact on surface roughness, dimensional accuracy, and material properties. Additionally, key process parameters influencing the effectiveness of CNC machining are discussed. Full article

The development of functional biosensors is rapidly advancing in response to the growing demand for personalized and continuous healthcare monitoring. Two-dimensional (2D) nanostructured materials have attracted significant attention for next-generation biosensors due to their exceptional physicochemical properties, including a high surface-to-volume ratio, excellent electrical conductivity, and mechanical flexibility. The integration of 2D materials with biological recognition elements offers synergistic improvements in sensitivity, stability, and overall sensor performance. These unique properties make 2D materials particularly well-suited for constructing wearable and implantable biosensors, which require conformal contact with soft tissues, mechanical adaptability to body movement, and reliable operation under physiological conditions. This review highlights recent advances in functionalized and composite 2D materials for wearable and implantable biosensing applications. We focus on key strategies in surface modification and hybrid nanostructure engineering aimed at optimizing performance in dynamic, body-integrated environments. Finally, we discuss current challenges and future directions for clinical translation, emphasizing the potential of 2D-material-based biosensors to drive progress in personalized and precision medicine. Full article

Glycopolypeptoids were synthesized and showed effective antifreeze activity, demonstrating their potential as novel antifreeze agents for cryopreservation. These polypeptide analogs offer improved stability and tunability compared with natural antifreeze glycoproteins (AFGPs) and existing synthetic mimics. Using the ring-opening polymerization of N-substituted N-carboxyanhydride monomers followed by click chemistry, glycopolypeptoids with controlled polymerization degrees and varied structures were designed and prepared. Their antifreeze performance was assessed via nanoliter osmometry and ice recrystallization inhibition assays, revealing a strong correlation between the molecular structure and antifreeze activity. The findings highlight glycopolypeptoids as a promising, cost-effective alternative to natural AFGPs, providing new insights into the development of biomimetic cryoprotectants. This study expands the understanding of synthetic antifreeze materials and offers a practical approach for improving cryopreservation efficiency in biomedical and industrial applications. Full article

The cell membrane plays a critical role in regulating substance exchange, signal transduction, and energy conversion, making it essential for maintaining homeostasis and responding to environmental stimuli. Ultrasound is a non-invasive, low-toxic modality that penetrates deep tissues, offering a promising alternative to traditional physical stimuli for advancing cell membrane research. This review focuses on the approaches by which ultrasound interacts with cell membranes and highlights its diverse biomedical applications. Key approaches of ultrasound–membrane interaction include cavitation, sonoporation, and mechanotransduction, which have been harnessed in drug delivery, therapeutics, and diagnostics. Furthermore, we discuss current challenges and future directions to advance the clinical and research potential of this field. Ultrasound-mediated membrane modulation serves as a bridge between fundamental biological studies and clinical translation. Full article

The increasing prevalence of antibiotic-resistant bacteria has stimulated the search for alternative antimicrobial agents with greater efficacy, low toxicity, and minimal resistance potential. Natural products, such as honey, propolis, and royal jelly, have shown promise due to their biological properties. The integration of natural products like honey and propolis in biomaterials represents a synergistic approach to combat the growing threat of resistant bacterial infections while improving wound care and soft tissue engineering applications. In the present work, we obtained sodium alginate films based on honey, propolis, royal jelly, and their mixture coated with chitosan for soft tissue regeneration. SEM showed that adding bee products altered surface morphology, affecting roughness, porosity, and microstructure. Spectral analysis confirmed specific chemical bonds, while thermal studies indicated a good stability up to 115 °C. The antimicrobial activity was evaluated against Gram-positive (Enterococcus faecalis, Staphylococcus aureus), Gram-negative (Escherichia coli, Pseudomonas aeruginosa) and yeast strains (Candida albicans), with growth inhibition zone diameters up to 12 mm. In vitro cytotoxicity studies, made on human gingival fibroblasts, suggested good biocompatibility. Antimicrobial assays showed that films containing propolis tincture, alone or as a mixture, were most effective against pathogens. Future research will focus on formulation optimization for biomedical use. Full article

Stimuli-sensitive (in situ) drug delivery systems are a dynamically developing area of pharmaceutical research. Over the past decade, the number of studies on such systems has doubled. Among these, phase-inversion (or phase-sensitive) formulations, which were among the earliest proposed, offer significant advantages, including enhanced stability and stimuli-responsiveness. However, phase-inversion systems have remained relatively understudied. Despite the existence of three patented technologies (Atrigel^®, BEPO^®, FluidCrystal^®) for delivery systems utilizing phase inversion for various routes of administration, the absence of unified approaches to development and standardization has significantly impeded the introduction of novel, effective drugs into clinical practice. This review examined the main polymers and solvents used to create phase-inversion compositions and discussed the feasibility of introducing other excipients to modify the systems’ physicochemical properties. The most commonly used polymers included polylactide-co-glycolide, shellac, and polylactic acid. The most frequently used solvents were N-methylpyrrolidone and dimethyl sulfoxide. Following an analysis of clinical studies of phase-sensitive drugs conducted over the past 25 years, as well as original research indexed in PubMed, ScienceDirect, and Google Scholar, the main problems hindering the broader adoption of phase-inversion systems in clinical practice were identified, and recommendations for further development in this promising area were provided. Full article