Biomaterials – cells articles within Nature Communications

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  • Article
    | Open Access

    The surface nanotopography of biomaterials direct cell behavior, but screening for desired effects is inefficient. Here, the authors introduce a platform that enables prediction of nanotopography-induced gene expression changes from changes in cell morphology, including in co-culture environments.

    • Marie F. A. Cutiongco
    • , Bjørn Sand Jensen
    •  & Nikolaj Gadegaard

  • Article
    | Open Access

    Assembling synthetic plant cell is difficult due to the presence of primary cell wall. Here, the authors describe the assembly of lipid-containing bodies that can be coated with cellulose and pectin, and show how these so-called plantosomes can be manipulated by changing surrounding milieu.

    • T. Paulraj
    • , S. Wennmalm
    •  & A. J. Svagan

  • Article
    | Open Access

    Controlled patterning of functionality within hydrogels typically involves complex chemistry. Here, the authors report on a simple competitive binding strategy using avidin and biotin analogs in an injectable biomaterial for spatiotemporally controlled presentation of biochemical stimuli to cells.

    • Tom Kamperman
    • , Michelle Koerselman
    •  & Jeroen Leijten

  • Article
    | Open Access

    Bone tissue is a complex organic-inorganic nanocomposite and strategies that replicate the characteristics of bone tissue are scarce. Here the authors demonstrate the deposition of nanoscale apatite in collagen embedded with mesenchymal, vascular and nerve cells, using a protein-guided biomineralization approach.

    • Greeshma Thrivikraman
    • , Avathamsa Athirasala
    •  & Luiz E. Bertassoni

  • Article
    | Open Access

    The use of engineered bacteria for biomedical applications is limited by side effects such as inflammatory response. Here the authors engineer cell membrane coated bacteria as in vivo tumor imaging agents, and show that these generate a lower inflammatory response and reduced macrophage clearance.

    • Zhenping Cao
    • , Shanshan Cheng
    •  & Jinyao Liu

  • Article
    | Open Access

    Advances in biofabrication technology enable 3D printed constructs to resemble real tissues, but it remains unclear how cell-generated forces deform these constructs. Here the authors investigate mechanical behaviours of 3D printed “microbeams” made from mixtures of living cells and extracellular matrix.

    • Cameron D. Morley
    • , S. Tori Ellison
    •  & Thomas E. Angelini

  • Article
    | Open Access

    Arthroplasty is the main clinical option for the treatment of osteoarticular lesions, but has limited efficacy. Here, the authors use a wound dressing with autologous mesenchymal stromal cells, functionalised for local BMP2 delivery, and show feasibility and safety in standardised preclinical tests in animal models, suggesting suitability for use in clinical trials.

    • Laetitia Keller
    • , Luc Pijnenburg
    •  & Nadia Benkirane-Jessel

  • Article
    | Open Access

    The incorporation of cells into tissue engineering scaffolds can be a major challenge. Here, the authors report on anchoring thrombin to cell membranes for the in situ formation of fibrin scaffolds around the modified cells, demonstrate scaffold formation in vitro and show cell survival in vivo.

    • Robert C. Deller
    • , Thomas Richardson
    •  & Adam W. Perriman

  • Article
    | Open Access

    Cell membrane interface is mostly studied using synthetic bilayers and reconstituted cell membranes. Here the authors present a new cell fixation method in which the cytoskeleton is replaced by a synthetic hydrogel polymer network assembled inside the cell, thereby preserving the fluid membrane properties after cell death.

    • Jung-Chen Lin
    • , Chen-Ying Chien
    •  & Che-Ming J. Hu

  • Article
    | Open Access

    In order to metastasize, cancer cells must migrate through basement membranes and dense stroma, and proteases are thought to be required due to the confining nature of these matrices. Here the authors use synthetic matrices to show that cells can migrate through confining matrices using force generation alone, rather than protease degradation, if the matrices exhibit mechanical plasticity.

    • Katrina M. Wisdom
    • , Kolade Adebowale
    •  & Ovijit Chaudhuri

  • Article
    | Open Access

    Tuning the mechanical properties of extracellular matrix is of great interest in tissue engineering but spatial control over stiffness in hydrogels has been demonstrated in two dimensions only. Here the authors developed a layer-by-layer printing technique which uses oxygen inhibition to control the heterogeneous stiffness in 3D printed structures.

    • Hang Yin
    • , Yonghui Ding
    •  & Xiaobo Yin

  • Article
    | Open Access

    3D hydrogels have provided information on the physical requirements of stem cell fate, but the contribution of interactions with the pericellular environment are under-explored. Here the authors show that pericellular matrix secreted by human bone marrow stromal cells (hMSC) embedded in a HA-based hydrogel contribute to hMSC fate.

    • Silvia A. Ferreira
    • , Meghna S. Motwani
    •  & Eileen Gentleman

  • Article
    | Open Access

    Multi-compartmentalised soft micro-systems are used as models of synthetic protocells. Here, the authors developed nested host–guest protocell constructs capable of self-reconfiguration in response to changes in pH generated by antagonistic modes of enzyme-mediated coupling.

    • Nicolas Martin
    • , Jean-Paul Douliez
    •  & Stephen Mann

  • Article
    | Open Access

    Cells are often passively encapsulated in hydrogels for a wide range of applications. Here, the authors report on a method of incorporating the cells into the hydrogel using bioorthogonal click reactions to link azide-modified cells with biocompatible polymers to create cell-based materials.

    • Koji Nagahama
    • , Yuuka Kimura
    •  & Ayaka Takemoto

  • Article
    | Open Access

    Proteins can serve as means of medical treatment, but their efficient delivery to cells is difficult. Here, the authors present a type of polymers, fluoroamphiphiles, acting as chemical chaperones that can facilitate the import of proteins into the inner compartment, i.e. cytosol, of cells.

    • Zhenjing Zhang
    • , Wanwan Shen
    •  & Yiyun Cheng

  • Article
    | Open Access

    Integrating cell-laden hydrogels effectively into the 3D printing process is a challenge in the creation of tissue engineering scaffolds. Here, the authors describe an additive manufacturing technique to combine polymer and cell-containing networks with 3D-printed mechanical supports.

    • Héloïse Ragelle
    • , Mark W. Tibbitt
    •  & Robert Langer

  • Article
    | Open Access

    Little is known about how geometric cues affect cell function and gene expression in 3D settings. Here the authors use microniches of different geometries to control cell volume and shape, and by extension cell phenotype and lineage.

    • Min Bao
    • , Jing Xie
    •  & Wilhelm T. S. Huck

  • Article
    | Open Access

    The extracellular matrix can affect cell behaviour both physically and biochemically. Here, the authors developed a substrate that is based on peptides and nucleic acids hybrids that can dynamically present signals upon demand which regulate cell adhesion and migration, thereby controlling cell organisation.

    • Ronit Freeman
    • , Nicholas Stephanopoulos
    •  & Samuel I. Stupp

  • Article
    | Open Access

    Avoiding central cell necrosis at the centre of large engineered tissue constructs is an important issue forin vitrotissue engineering. Here, the authors demonstrate that this problem may be overcome by oxygenating human mesenchymal stem cells with artificial membrane-binding proteins.

    • James P. K. Armstrong
    • , Rameen Shakur
    •  & Anthony P. Hollander

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