Browsing by Subject "Hydrogel"

Now showing 1 - 3 of 3
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    Accelerated Simple Preparation of Curcumin-Loaded Silk Fibroin/Hyaluronic Acid Hydrogels for Biomedical Applications
    (MDPI, 2023-01-18) Chaala, M.; Seeba, F. Z.; Fuster, M. G.; Moulefera, I.; Montalbán, M. G.; Carissimi, G.; Víllora, G.; Ingeniería Química; Facultad de Química
    The development of new biomaterials from natural fibres in the field of biomedicine have attracted great interest in recent years. One of the most studied fibres has been silk fibroin produced by the Bombyx mori worm, due to its excellent mechanical properties and its biodegradability and bioavailability. Among the different biomaterials that can be prepared from silk fibroin, hydrogels have attracted considerable attention due to their potential use in different fields, such as scaffolding, cell therapy and biomedical application. Hydrogels are essentially a three-dimensional network of flexible polymer chains that absorb considerable amounts of water and can be loaded with drugs and/or cells inside to be used in a wide variety of applications. Here we present a simple sonication process for the preparation of curcumin-hyaluronic acid-silk fibroin hydrogels. Different grades of hydrogels were prepared by controlling the relative amounts of their components. The hydrogels were physically and morphologically characterised by Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), X-ray diffraction (XRD), thermogravimetric analysis (TGA) and field emission scanning electron microscopy (FESEM) and their biological activity was tested in terms of cell viability in a fibroblast cell line.
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    Open Access
    Advances in 3D bioprinting to enhance translational applications in bone tissue engineering and regenerative medicin
    (Universidad de Murcia, Departamento de Biologia Celular e Histiologia, 2025) Ortega, Miguel A; Leon Oliva, Diego De; Liviu Boaru, Diego; Fraile-Martínez, Oscar; Garcia Montero, Cielo; Casanova, Carlos; García Honduvilla, Natalio; Buján, Julia; Saez, Miguel A; Álvarez Mon, Melchor; Velazquez De Castro, Amador; López González, Laura; Acero, Julio; Barrena Blázquez, Silvestra; Diaz, Raul
    Bone defects are due to trauma, infections, tumors, or aging, including bone fractures, bone metastases, osteoporosis, or osteoarthritis. The global burden of these demands research into innovative strategies that overcome the limitations of conventional autografts. In this sense, the development of three-dimensional (3D) bioprinting has emerged as a promising approach in the field of tissue engineering and regenerative medicine (TERM) for the on-demand generation and transplantation of tissues and organs, including bone. It combines biological materials and living cells, which are precisely positioned layer by layer. Despite obtaining some promising results, 3D bioprinting of bone tissue still faces several challenges, such as generating an effective vascular network to increase tissue viability. In this review, we aim to collect the main knowledge on methods and techniques of 3D bioprinting. Then, we will review the main biomaterials, their composition, and the rationale for their application in 3D bioprinting for the TERM of bone.
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    Open Access
    OA cartilage derived chondrocytes encapsulated in poly(ethylene glycol) diacrylate (PEGDA) for the evaluation of cartilage restoration and apoptosis in an in vitro model
    (F. Hernández y J.F. Madrid. Murcia: Universidad de Murcia, Departamento de Biología Celular e Histología., 2011) Musumeci, Giuseppe; Loreto, Carla; Carnazza, Maria Luisa; Strehin, Iossif; Elisseeff, Jennifer
    Osteoarthritis (OA) is characterized by cartilage attrition, subchondral bone remodeling, osteophyte formation and synovial inflammation. Perturbed homeostasis caused by inflammation, oxidative stress, mitochondrial dysfunction and proapoptotic/antiapoptotic dysregulation is known to impair chondrocyte survival in joint microenvironments and contribute to OA pathogenesis. However, the molecular mechanisms underlying the programmed cell death (apoptosis) of chondral cells are not yet well defined. The present study was conducted to evaluate apoptosis of chondrocytes from knee articular cartilage of patients with OA. The aim of this study was to investigate and compare the apoptosis through the expression of caspase-3 in tissue explants, in cells cultured in monolayer, and in cells encapsulated in a hydrogel (PEGDA) scaffold. Chondrocytes were also studied following cell isolation and encapsulation in poly(ethylene glycol) diacrylate (PEGDA) hydrogels. Specifically, articular cartilage specimens were assessed by histology (Hematoxlyn and Eosin) and histochemistry (Safranin-O and Alcian Blue). The effector of apoptosis caspase-3 was studied through immunohistochemistry, immunocytochemistry and immunofluorescence. DNA strand breaks were evaluated in freshly isolated chondrocytes from human OA cartilage using the TUNEL assay, and changes in nuclear morphology of apoptotic cells were detected by staining with Hoechst 33258. The results showed an increased expression of caspase-3 in tissue explants, in pre-confluent cells and after four passages in culture, and a decreased expression of caspase-3 comparable to control cartilage in cells encapsulated in hydrogels (PEGDA) after 5 weeks in culture. The freshly isolated chondrocytes were TUNEL positive. The chondrocytes after 5 weeks of culture in hydrogels (PEGDA) showed the formation of new hyaline cartilage with increased cell growth, cellular aggregations and extracellular matrix (ECM) production. This is of particular relevance to the use of OA cells and tissue engineering in the therapeutic approach to patients.