Themed collection 2017 Journal of Materials Chemistry B HOT Papers

Polypeptides as functional groups continue to garner significant interest in the detection and imaging of breast cancer, working as recognition elements, signal sources, building blocks and therapeutic reagents, etc.

AuNCs engage in energy transfer by a non-Förster process although many of the same photophysical requirements are needed.

Summary of recent progress in cell-derived decellularized matrices preparation and application, with perspectives towards the next decade.

This review summarises smart thermo-responsive polymeric materials with reversible and ‘on–off’ remotely switchable properties for a wide range of biomedical and biomaterials applications.

Clarifying the physical principles of graphene cellular interactions is critical for the wider application of graphene-based nanomaterials in nanomedicine. This review highlights the advances in computational and theoretical accounts for this emerging field.

Chitin nanofibers are the fundamental building blocks of numerous structural natural materials. From top-down to bottom-up, here we review engineering strategies to produce chitin nanofibers for engineered materials and their applications.

Here we define hydrogels crosslinked by weak bonds as physical hydrogels.

During cancer progression, the extracellular matrix (ECM) undergoes dramatic changes, which promote cancer cell migration and invasion.

This review on cyclodextrin-based supramolecular nanoparticles presents the different forces involved in particle formation and their diagnostic and therapeutic applications.

This review summarizes a pool of current experimental approaches and discusses perspectives in the development of the synergistic combination of shape and stimuli-response in particulate hydrogels.

We report the first Cu(II)-based ratiometric sensors for direct, rapid, and selective fluorescent detection of nitric oxide.

L-CarnitineMA is the first zwitterionic betaine monomer from natural feedstocks, exhibiting superior anti-fouling performance.

A spatial and temporal response of hydrogel objects is demonstrated using an enzyme as a programming tool.

Exemplified with jackfruit and sugarcane, natural extracted aerogels with inherent structural anisotropy were investigated for the first time.

Thermoresponsive convex or concave substrates were developed as functional cell separation materials by the combination of thermal nano-imprinted lithography and subsequent surface-initiated ATRP of PIPAAm.

The role of physical burden on macrophage functions was revealed by exploiting an “intake method” and uniform autofluorescent cell-sized particles.

Polymer nanoparticles entrapping a NO photodonor are designed to monitor its release in human skin samples through two-photon fluorescence imaging.

A rapid and efficient strategy was developed to construct photocontrolled 2D protein nanosheets with an orderly arrangement.

Tanshinones act as common inhibitors to inhibit the aggregation of both hIAPP and Aβ, disaggregate preformed hIAPP and Aβ amyloid fibrils, and protect cells from hIAPP- and Aβ-induced toxicity.

Polymeric nanoparticles are produced using hydrophilic poly(2-oxazoline)s (P(Ox)s) as particle stabilizers during preparation, purification and lyophilization as an all-in-one system.

Type II collagen methacrylamide with a triple helix was developed for 3D construction of a cartilaginous ECM-like microenvironment to induce chondrogenic differentiation of BMSCs.

A poly(glycolide) (PGA) fiber-reinforced hydroxyapatite/poly(lactide-co-glycolide) (HA/PLGA) composite with high mechanical strength has been prepared previously.

Zn²⁺ was used to mediate the fabrication of Cu₂O crystals with different glucose sensing performances depending on their structures.

The protein adsorption behaviors on polymer brushes in the presence of hydrogen bonding between proteins and polymer brushes.

A stimuli-responsive, biodegradable, and dual drug-loaded hydrogel delivery system was formed in situ for combination drug therapy of cancer in vivo.

Tethered lipid bilayers on porous nanocarriers facilitate photochemical internalization and efficient cancer therapy via NIR irradiation.

The dendritic catiomer using biocompatible Zr-MOFs as the core exhibited a markedly higher transfection efficiency and lower cytotoxicity than the commercial gold standard branched PEI_25k in A549 cells.

The effective growth of chondrocytes and the formation of cartilage is demonstrated on scaffolds of aligned carbon nanotubes.

Unique oil-soluble InP/ZnSe/ZnS QDs with strong visible excitonic and NIR surface defect emissions were synthesized and used in multi-scale bioimaging.

The dual-photosensitizer upconversion nanoplatform takes advantage of upconversion luminescence and generates singlet oxygen and free radicals for enhanced photodynamic therapy.

A cell-initiated degradable hydrogel based on methacrylated alginate was developed for 3D microfeatures construction to meet the demand of molding and biomimetic function requirement.

Great efforts have been devoted to effective delivery of therapeutics into cells for cancer therapy.

A dual-level targeting polymeric system to eliminate tumour-associated macrophages.

Si-containing bioactive ionic products released from silicate-based bioceramics activate Smad1/5-mediated BMP2 signaling pathways.

Integration of a stratified approach and gene immobilization promotes silk-based ACL interface formation, expanding the therapeutic potential of a silk-based ligament graft.

Reversible networks are a key factor for designing self-healing hydrogels with high stretching properties.

Dexamethasone (DEX)-loaded biphasic calcium phosphate nanoparticles (BCP-NPs) are prepared by incorporation of DEX during or after the formation of BCP-NPs. The DEX-loaded BCP-NPs release DEX in a sustained manner and enhance the osteogenic differentiation of hMSCs.

Photodynamic therapy (PDT) has been applied in cancer treatment by utilizing reactive oxygen species (ROSs) to kill cancer cells.

This work represents a one-step direct aqueous method to synthesize Cu₃₉S₂₈ hollow nanopeanuts towards ultrasensitive tumor targeted photothermal chemotherapy.

A dramatic enhancement in the glycosidase multivalent inhibitory effect was observed while going from a dodecavalent iminosugar ball to the corresponding giant molecule with 120 peripheral subunits.

Material composition alone can be used to direct human bone marrow stromal cells into distinct, zone-specific cell phenotypes and spatially-varying, multi-layered material scaffolds can generate complex, patterned tissue structures.

Integrated circuitries are successfully built through using the cascaded modular strategy with the assistance of stochastic simulations.

A resveratrol-loaded phospholipid coated reduced graphene oxide was prepared using a sonication method.

Gelatin hydrogels with microporous structures were prepared by polymerization of GelMAGMA macromers and dissolution of gelatin hydrogel microcubes. The microporous gelatin hydrogels promoted proliferation of chondrocytes and showed different cellular effects compared to hydrogels without microporous structures.

A Luminous hydrogel with self-healing properties and biocompatibility was synthesized by a Eu-containing PVA with boric acid as a cross-linking agent.

Conducting hydrogels prepared from edible, commercially available materials were shown to function as capacitive pressure sensors.

The self-assembly of CuNCs was driven by aluminum cations and they had a sensing application in the monitoring of β-galactosidase activity.

Although BMSC-based therapy is one of the most front-line technologies for cartilage repair, it is still a big challenge to attain ideal niches for BMSC chondrogenic differentiation.

We developed a core–shell polyplex with minimal high generation dendrimer to condense DNA and low-molecular-weight linear polyethylenimine coated on the core. The polyplex represented both high transfection efficacy and low toxicity.

The multifunctional Eu–Gd₂O₃ nanorods (NRs) with targeting/limitation of early glioblastoma and enhancements of in vivo MR and luminescence imaging were fabricated through a hydrothermal-calcination, PEGylation and thiolation conjugation of arginine–glycine–aspartic (RGD) and chlorotoxin (CTX).

The multidrug co-loaded injectable hydrogels against tumor showed superiority and potential application values.

In this study, we fabricated a SPA-co-CTS sponge and demonstrated a fast and powerful hemostatic effect both in vitro and in vivo, which was a promising first-aid device for severe hemorrhage control.

A new bioprobe based on lanthanide-doped LaOBr NCs exhibiting distinct upconversion/downshifting luminescence was explored and demonstrated for in vitro cancer cell imaging.

We proposed a label-free visual platform based on Cu–GMP CPNs for both self-correcting molecular logic gate construction and sensitive biosensing.

Nanostructured RNA carrying three different siRNAs was assembled to silence three target genes (Axin, APC, and GSK-3β) in the Wnt/β-catenin signaling pathway. This nanostructured ‘3-in-1’ siRNA showed high activity at a low concentration due to the long-term resistance, and enhancing the effect of RNA interference.

Albumin-mediated ultrasmall platinum nanocrystals were fabricated for both in vitro and in vivo enhanced computed tomography imaging.

N,S-CDs display an unambiguous bioimaging ability in the detection of intracellular temperature and tetracycline with satisfactory results.

Efficiently cultivating cartilage decellularized matrix powder by a 3D culture method for cartilage repair in rabbit osteochondral defects.

Injectable bioactive SA/Aker hydrogels formed by crosslinking of bioactive ions, which recruit stem cells and enhance skin regeneration.

The rational design of a novel phycocyanin-based nanosystem with bio-responsive properties to achieve prolonged blood circulation and overcome drug resistance without causing systemic toxicity.

Current medical treatments against recurrent pulmonary infections caused by Pseudomonas aeruginosa, such as cystic fibrosis (CF) disorder, involve the administration of inhalable antibiotics.

A multivalent cationic macrocycle is used as a mediator between plasmid DNAs and anionic lipids (ALs) to build an efficient and safe gene nanocarrier.

A quinoline-based two-photon fluorescent probe (MCN) was developed for viscosity imaging in vivo.

A dual-drug co-delivery and 808 nm NIR photo-controlled release system can control drug release behaviour and enhance anticancer efficacy.

A bioactive glass/patterned electrospun membrane (BG/PEM) with uniform nanostructure could stimulate angiogenesis and accelerate diabetic wound healing with high efficiency.

Here, polystyrene sulfonate sodium (PSS) modified halloysite nanotubes were self-assembled into patterned coating on a glass substrate with ordered nanotube arrays for capture of tumor cells.

The reversible assembly of magnetic alginate microparticles could mimic the extracellular matrix for efficient and facile hypothermic cell preservation.

Polyethylenimine can be modified with folic acid through a polyethylene glycol spacer for targeted anticancer drug delivery to tumors.

Sub-10 nm Au NPs with an average size of 4 nm (Au4-mPEG NPs) had a promotive effect on the adipogenic differentiation and an inhibitive effect on the osteogenic differentiation of human bone marrow-derived mesenchymal stem cells (hMSCs) due to the highly induced ROS level.

In this paper, we report the fabrication of an antibacterial material, Ga-doped C-dots on Ga nanoparticles (Ga@C-dots@Ga NPs), which is deposited on a glass substrate for neural growth.