Recent Advances In Biomedical Applications Research Articles

Recent advances in biomedical applications of carbon and graphene quantum dots: A review.

The carbon-based nanostructures have led to the development of theranostic nanoplatforms for simultaneous diagnosis and therapy due to their effective cell membrane-penetration ability, low degree of cytotoxicity, excellent pore volume, substantial chemical stability, and reactive surface. In the last few years, extensive efforts were made to design multifunctional nanoplatform strategies based on carbon nanostructures, involving multimodal imaging, controlled drug release capabilities, sensing in vitro, efficient drug loading capacity, and therapy. Carbon and graphene quantum dots (CQDs and GQDs) were the recent entrants, contingently being assessed for drug delivery and bioimaging. With the advancements, these quantum dots have ignited remarkable research interest and are now widely evaluated for diagnosis, bioimaging, sensing, and drug delivery applications. The last decade has witnessed their remarkable electrical, optical, and biocompatible properties since their inception. It is presumed that both of them have high potential as drug carriers and would serve as the next generation of approaches to address numerous unresolved therapeutic challenges. This review examined the recent advances of CQD and GQD based drug delivery applications, challenges, and future perspectives to pave the way for further studies in the future.

Recent Advances in Biomedical Applications of Mannans and Xylans.

Plant-based phytochemicals, including flavonoids, alkaloids, tannins, saponins, and other metabolites, have attracted considerable attention due to their central role in synthesizing nanomaterials with various biomedical applications. Hemicelluloses are the second most abundant among naturally occurring heteropolymers, accounting for one-third of all plant constituents. In particular, xylans, mannans, and arabinoxylans are structured polysaccharides derived from hemicellulose. Mannans and xylans are characterized by their linear configuration of β-1,4-linked mannose and xylose units, respectively. At the same time, arabinoxylan is a copolymer of arabinose and xylose found predominantly in secondary cell walls of seeds, dicotyledons, grasses, and cereal tissues. Their widespread use in tissue engineering, drug delivery, and gene delivery is based on their properties, such as cell adhesiveness, cost-effectiveness, high biocompatibility, biodegradability, and low immunogenicity. Moreover, it can be easily functionalized, which expands their potential applications and provides them with structural diversity. This review comprehensively addresses recent advances in the field of biomedical applications. It explores the potential prospects for exploiting the capabilities of mannans and xylans in drug delivery, gene delivery, and tissue engineering.

Research progress of methylcellulose-based thermosensitive hydrogels applied in biomedical field

Methylcellulose is a semi-flexible cellulose ether derivative, whose hydrogels are thermosensitive and reversible, with good biocompatibility and adjustable function, and its application has attracted much attention in the biomedical field. In this paper, the application of methylcellulose-based thermo-sensitive hydrogels in biomedical field was reviewed. Based on the mechanism of gelation and influencing factors of methylcellulose, this paper focused on the recent advances in biomedical applications of methylcellulose-based hydrogels, including drug delivery, regenerative medicine, and other related fields. The current achievements in these fields were summarized in the form of lists in this paper to provide ideas and tendencies for future research. Finally, the future development of multifunctional methylcellulose-based hydrogel materials with improved performance was also discussed.

Programmable polymers with shape memory for biomedical applications

AbstractShape memory polymers (SMPs) are a type of programmable materials capable of transforming their shapes in a pre-programmed way upon the application of an external stimulus. These materials have been tested for various potential applications particularly in the biomedical field for polymers with general and specific requirements. This review focuses on the recent advances in biomedical applications, including self-tightening sutures, pressure bandages, self-expansion stents, tissue engineering scaffolds, artificial muscles, drug delivery, and orthodontic archwires, after a brief description of the concepts, classifications, programming procedures, and material requirements of SMPs.

Emerging metallenes: synthesis strategies, biological effects and biomedical applications.

Metallenes, atomically thin-layered materials composed of coordination-deficient metal atoms, have emerged as a new category of two-dimensional materials. Metallenes exhibit exciting properties with a fusion of atom economy, ultrathin structure, photonic properties, and catalytic activity, which make them intriguing for a wide range of applications in biomedicine. The development of biomedical applications of metallenes is in its infancy yet fast-growing. In this review, after a brief introduction of the definition, structures, properties, and classification of metallenes, we outline two common synthesis strategies and identify their shortcomings. Then, we comprehensively discuss the biological effects of metallenes, such as nano-biointeractions and signaling pathway regulation. We also highlight their recent advances in biomedical applications, including antitumor, biosensing, bioimaging, antibacterial, and anti-inflammation. Finally, we provide personal perspectives on remaining challenges and future opportunities for the biomedical applications of metallenes.

Recent Advances in the Biomedical Applications of Functionalized Nanogels.

Nanomaterials have been extensively used in several applications in the past few decades related to biomedicine and healthcare. Among them, nanogels (NGs) have emerged as an important nanoplatform with the properties of both hydrogels and nanoparticles for the controlled/sustained delivery of chemo drugs, nucleic acids, or other bioactive molecules for therapeutic or diagnostic purposes. In the recent past, significant research efforts have been invested in synthesizing NGs through various synthetic methodologies such as free radical polymerization, reversible addition-fragmentation chain-transfer method (RAFT) and atom transfer radical polymerization (ATRP), as well as emulsion techniques. With further polymeric functionalizations using activated esters, thiol-ene/yne processes, imines/oximes formation, cycloadditions, nucleophilic addition reactions of isocyanates, ring-opening, and multicomponent reactions were used to obtain functionalized NGs for targeted delivery of drug and other compounds. NGs are particularly intriguing for use in the areas of diagnosis, analytics, and biomedicine due to their nanodimensionality, material characteristics, physiological stability, tunable multi-functionality, and biocompatibility. Numerous NGs with a wide range of functionalities and various external/internal stimuli-responsive modalities have been possible with novel synthetic reliable methodologies. Such continuous development of innovative, intelligent materials with novel characteristics is crucial for nanomedicine for next-generation biomedical applications. This paper reviews the synthesis and various functionalization strategies of NGs with a focus on the recent advances in different biomedical applications of these surface modified/functionalized single-/dual-/multi-responsive NGs, with various active targeting moieties, in the fields of cancer theranostics, immunotherapy, antimicrobial/antiviral, antigen presentation for the vaccine, sensing, wound healing, thrombolysis, tissue engineering, and regenerative medicine.

Recent Advances in Biomedical Applications of Polymeric Nanoplatform Assisted with Two-Photon Absorption Process.

Polymers are well-recognized carriers useful for delivering therapeutic drug and imaging probes to the target specified in the defined pathophysiological site. The functional drug molecules and imaging agents were chemically attached or physically loaded in the carrier polymer matrix via cleavable spacers. Using appropriate targeting moieties, these polymeric carriers (PCs) loaded with functional molecules were designed to realize target-specific delivery at the cellular level. The biodistribution of these carriers can be tracked using imaging agents with suitable imaging techniques. The drug molecules can be released by cleaving the spacers either by endogenous stimuli (e.g., pH, redox species, glucose level and enzymes) at the targeted physiological site or exogenous stimuli (e.g., light, electrical pulses, ultrasound and magnetism). Recently, two-photon absorption (2PA)-mediated drug delivery and imaging has gained significant attention because TPA from near-infrared light (700-950 nm, NIR) renders light energy similar to the one-photon absorption from ultraviolet (UV) light. NIR has been considered biologically safe unlike UV, which is harmful to soft tissues, cells and blood vessels. In addition to the heat and reactive oxygen species generating capability of 2PA molecules, 2PA-functionalized PCs were also found to be useful for treating diseases such as cancer by photothermal and photodynamic therapies. Herein, insights attained towards the design, synthesis and biomedical applications of 2PA-activated PCs are reviewed. In particular, specific focus is provided to the imaging and drug delivery applications with a special emphasis on multi-responsive platforms.

Recent advances in biomedical applications of bacterial outer membrane vesicles

Nanoscale and non-self-replicating outer membrane vesicles (OMVs) are naturally secreted by some bacteria with their structures and compositions similar to that of the outer membrane of parental bacteria. With some specific bacterial physiological characteristics, e.g., immunomodulations and intercellular communications, OMVs have been intensively studied and extensively used and engineered as vaccines, immunotherapeutic drugs, anti-bacterial agents, and drug delivery carriers. In this review, we describe the extraction, characterization, and functionalization of OMVs with emphasis on the latest progress and prospects in biomedical applications.

Recent Advances in Functional Polymer Materials for Energy, Water, and Biomedical Applications: A Review.

Academic research regarding polymeric materials has been of great interest. Likewise, polymer industries are considered as the most familiar petrochemical industries. Despite the valuable and continuous advancements in various polymeric material technologies over the last century, many varieties and advances related to the field of polymer science and engineering still promise a great potential for exciting new applications. Research, development, and industrial support have been the key factors behind the great progress in the field of polymer applications. This work provides insight into the recent energy applications of polymers, including energy storage and production. The study of polymeric materials in the field of enhanced oil recovery and water treatment technologies will be presented and evaluated. In addition, in this review, we wish to emphasize the great importance of various functional polymers as effective adsorbents of organic pollutants from industrial wastewater. Furthermore, recent advances in biomedical applications are reviewed and discussed.

Rare earth smart nanomaterials for bone tissue engineering and implantology: Advances, challenges, and prospects.

Bone grafts or prosthetic implant designing for clinical application is challenging due to the complexity of integrated physiological processes. The revolutionary advances of nanotechnology in the biomaterial field expedite and endorse the current unresolved complexity in functional bone graft and implant design. Rare earth (RE) materials are emerging biomaterials in tissue engineering due to their unique biocompatibility, fluorescence upconversion, antimicrobial, antioxidants, and anti‐inflammatory properties. Researchers have developed various RE smart nano‐biomaterials for bone tissue engineering and implantology applications in the past two decades. Furthermore, researchers have explored the molecular mechanisms of RE material‐mediated tissue regeneration. Recent advances in biomedical applications of micro or nano‐scale RE materials have provided a foundation for developing novel, cost‐effective bone tissue engineering strategies. This review attempted to provide an overview of RE nanomaterials' technological innovations in bone tissue engineering and implantology and summarized the osteogenic, angiogenic, immunomodulatory, antioxidant, in vivo bone tissue imaging, and antimicrobial properties of various RE nanomaterials, as well as the molecular mechanisms involved in these biological events. Further, we extend to discuss the challenges and prospects of RE smart nano‐biomaterials in the field of bone tissue engineering and implantology.

An Overview of Recent Advances in Biomedical Applications of Click Chemistry.

Cu(I)-catalyzed azide-alkyne cycloaddition (CuAAC) is a modular and bio-orthogonal approach that is being adopted for the efficient synthesis of organic and bioorganic compounds. It leads to the selective formation of 1,4-disubstituted 1,2,3-triazole units connecting readily accessible building blocks via a stable and biocompatible linkage. The vast array of the bioconjugation applications of click chemistry has been attributed to its fast reaction kinetics, quantitative yields, minimal byproducts, and high chemospecificity and regioselectivity. These combined advantages make click reactions quite suitable for the lead identification and the development of pharmaceutical agents in the fields of medicinal chemistry and drug discovery. In this review, we have outlined the key aspects, the mechanistic details and merits and demerits of the click reaction. In addition, we have also discussed the recent pharmaceutical applications of click chemistry, ranging from the development of anticancer, antibacterial, and antiviral agents to that of biomedical imaging agents and clinical therapeutics.

Recent Advances in Biomedical Applications of Cholic Acid-Based Macromolecules

In recent decades, polymeric materials have been extensively investigated for their widespread therapeutic applications in various biomedical fields. In particular, biomolecule conjugated polymers ...

Plasmonic Gold Nanovesicles for Biomedical Applications

AbstractGold nanoparticles (GNPs), with tunable optical properties, bioinertness, and surface multivalent effect, have been widely explored for biomedical applications. As one classical type of GNPs‐based assemblies, plasmonic gold nanovesicles (GVs), with a hollow cavity, “solid skeleton” composed of GNPs cores and a “soft body” composed of functional polymers, have attracted considerable attention due to their tunable localized surface plasmon resonance, strong surface‐enhanced Raman scattering properties, and high photothermal conversion efficiency. This review summarizes recent advances in biomedical applications for plasmonic GVs. Firstly, the synthesis methods of GVs are mainly including self‐assembly and in situ gold growth methods. Secondly, the classification of GVs is described according to the morphology of GNPs cores. Thirdly, different biomedical applications of GVs are elaborated, including in vitro diagnosis, in vivo imaging, and in vivo therapy. Finally, the challenges and perspectives of GVs are discussed.

Recent Overviews in Functional Polymer Composites for Biomedical Applications.

Composite materials are considered as an essential part of our daily life due to their outstanding properties and diverse applications. Polymer composites are a widespread class of composites, characterized by low cost, facile processing methods, and varied applications ranging from daily-use issues to highly complicated electronics and advanced medical combinations. In this review, we focus on the most important fabrication techniques for bioapplied polymer composites such as electrospinning, melt-extrusion, solution mixing, and latex technology, as well as in situ methods. Additionally, significant and recent advances in biomedical applications are spotlighted, such as tissue engineering (including bone, blood vessels, oral tissues, and skin), dental resin-based composites, and wound dressing.

Two-dimensional transition metal carbides and nitrides (MXenes) for biomedical applications.

Two-dimensional transition metal carbides and nitrides known as MXenes, with a general formula of Mn+1Xn (n = 1-3), integrate the advantages of metallic conductive transition metals with large groups of carbides, nitrides, or carbonitrides. They have led to a burgeoning research interest in biomedical applications due to their ultrathin structure and fascinating physiochemical (electronic, optical, magnetic, etc.) properties. In this review, we summarize recent advances in biomedical applications for MXenes. We first introduce the preparation methods and surface modifications with respect to MXenes. Their unique properties are then elaborated. Thirdly, we highlight their various biomedical applications, such as with biosensors, antibacterial materials, bioimaging probes, therapeutics, and theranostics. In the end, the current challenges and new opportunities for MXenes in regard to their biomedical applications are also discussed.

Biomimetic nanostructured hydroxyapatite coatings on metallic implant materials

Metallic implant materials used in load-bearing applications are inert in nature in their native state. The surface properties of the material and its interaction with the surrounding physiological fluid determine the success of the biomedical implant. In this regard, bioactive nanostructured coatings are being recognised as potential approach to enhance the biological and corrosion properties of the conventional inert materials. In this review, recent advances in biomedical applications of nanostructured hydroxyapatite coatings on stainless steel implant materials are highlighted with special focus on the electrochemical deposition of hydroxyapatite and their consequent biological activity. Furthermore, osteoblasts functions and cellular activity on the nanostructured hydroxyapatite coatings processed by other techniques is also discussed. The potential application of such next generation materials as biomedical implants is also addressed.

Biological activity of nanostructured metallic materials for biomedical applications

The successful integration of a biomedical device is governed by the surface properties of the material and also depends on the interaction with the physiological fluid. In this regard, bulk nanostructured materials are recently being recognised as potential implant materials alternative to conventional materials. The potential application of such next generation materials as biomedical implants has recently been evaluated by investigating the effect of wide range of grain sizes on multiple cell activities. In this review, recent advances in biomedical applications of bulk nanostructured materials are highlighted with special focus on the effect of phase reversion-induced nanograined size on protein adsorption and cell–material interactions. Furthermore, the effect of grain structure on antimicrobial effect is also discussed. Osteoblasts functions and cellular activity are promoted on the nanostructured surface in relation to the coarse-grained counterpart. Finally, the advantages of phase reversion approach to produce multifunctional bio-implant materials are addressed.

The Magnetohydrodynamic Effect and its Associated Material Designs for Biomedical Applications: A State-of-the-Art Review.

The presented article discusses recent advances in biomedical applications of classical Magnetohydrodynamics (MHD), with a focus on operating principles and associated material considerations. These applications address novel approaches to common biomedical problems from micro-particle sorting for lab-on-a-chip devices to advanced physiological monitoring techniques. 100 papers in the field of MHDs were reviewed with a focus on studies with direct biomedical applications. The body of literature was categorized into three primary areas of research including Material Considerations for MHD Applications, MHD Actuation Devices, and MHD Sensing Techniques. The state of the art in the field was examined and research topics were connected to provide a wide view of the field of biomedical MHDs. As this field develops, the need for advanced simulation and material design will continue to increase in importance in order to further expand its reach to maturity. As the field of biomedical MHDs continues to grow, advances towards micro-scale transitions will continue to be made, maintaining its clinically driven nature and moving towards real-world applications.

Human hair keratin and its-based biomaterials for biomedical applications

Over the past few decades, naturally derived biomaterials have been extensively used in tissue engineering and regenerative medicine owing to their biological function, structural support, excellent biocompatibility, and favorable biodegradability characteristics. Traditionally, keratin has been extracted from wool, feathers, horns, and other animal sources for industrial use, and it has also been used as a biomaterial to develop scaffolds, hydrogels, and other forms for biomedical applications. Recently, keratin extracted from human hair has emerged as a fascinating biomaterial, which as a human-derived protein, exhibits excellent biocompatibility, no immune reaction upon transplantation, good cellular interaction activity, and biodegradability. Recent development of well-defined and proficient processes for human hair keratin extraction has led to the fabrication of various types of keratin-based biomaterials, which have been employed in successful approaches for tissue regeneration. The use of human hair keratin-based biomaterials for translational biomedical applications requires better understanding of the molecular properties and biological function of keratin. This review provides a critical summary of molecular characteristics, cellular interactions, various extraction strategies, and recent advances in biomedical applications of human hair keratin that could be used to improve tissue regeneration for regenerative medicine.

Cell response to nanocrystallized metallic substrates obtained through severe plastic deformation.

Cell-substrate interface is known to control the cell response and subsequent cell functions. Among the various biophysical signals, grain structure, which indicates the repeating arrangement of atoms in the material, has also proved to play a role of significant importance in mediating the cell activities. Moreover, refining the grain size through severe plastic deformation is known to provide the processed material with novel mechanical properties. The potential application of such advanced materials as biomedical implants has recently been evaluated by investigating the effect of different substrate grain sizes on a wide variety of cell activities. In this review, recent advances in biomedical applications of severe plastic deformation techniques are highlighted with special attention to the effect of the obtained nano/ultra-fine-grain size on cell-substrate interactions. Various severe plastic deformation techniques used for this purpose are discussed presenting a brief description of the mechanism for each process. The results obtained for each treatment on cell morphology, adhesion, proliferation, and differentiation, as well as the in vivo studies, are discussed. Finally, the advantages and challenges regarding the application of these techniques to produce multifunctional bio-implant materials are addressed.