Influence of sand on the mechanical properties of metakaolin geopolymers - Kuenzel, C.; Li, L.; Vandeperre, Luc; Boccaccini, Aldo R.; Cheeseman, C. R. (Construction and Building Materials, 2014)
Metakaolin geopolymers require a high water content to have appropriate rheology for use in some applications and these mixes exhibit extensive drying shrinkage and cracking. This work aimed to understand the effect of adding sand as inert filler to metakaolin geopolymers. It is found that the viscosity increases with sand addition and mortars become unworkable when more than 40 vol% sand is added. Linear drying shrinkage was reduced from about 8% in the absence of sand to less than 1% with 38 vol% sand addition. Moreover, geopolymer mortars containing more than 15 vol% sand can withstand drying at 110 °C without cracking. Because sand addition to metakaolin geopolymer mortars increases viscosity less than a reduction in water content it is possible to formulate mortars that flow but do not crack on drying and these materials have potential for use in a range of architectural and restoration applications. © 2014 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.
Keywords: Drying shrinkage; Fillers; Geopolymers; Mechanical properties; Mortars

Influence of Si3N4 and CuO Nanoparticles on the Microstructure and Properties of Multiphase Graphite Oxide/Hydroxyapatite/Sodium Alginate Coatings Obtained By Electrophoretic Deposition on Titanium Alloy - Moskalewicz, Tomasz; Warcaba, Maciej; Hadzhieva, Zoya; Lukaszczyk, Alicja; Jelen, Piotr; Sitarz, Maciej; Boccaccini, Aldo R. (Journal of The Electrochemical Society, 2022)
In this work, we report an electrophoretic deposition path for efficient fabrication of advanced multiphase coatings, consisting of Ca cross-linked sodium alginate with graphite oxide n-GtO flakes mixed into bioactive hydroxyapatite and CuO or Si3N4 antibacterial nanoparticles. Anionic sodium alginate molecules ensured electrosteric stabilisation of the suspension. The effects of the chemical composition of the suspension and deposition parameters on coating morphology were investigated. Hydroxyapatite and antibacterial agents formed agglomerates fairly well spread within the alginate matrix. The coatings with Si3N4 incorporation presented outstanding adhesion to the Ti-13Nb-13Zr alloy substrates. All coatings revealed hydrophilic surfaces and showed a high ability to protect the alloy substrates from corrosion in Ringer's solution. A hydroxyapatite layer was formed as a result of soaking the coated samples in simulated body fluid for 3 weeks. CuO-containing samples showed significantly improved antibacterial properties against E. coli. The incorporation of n-GtO alone did not induce any cytotoxic effects of the coatings against MG-63 cells but its combination with CuO and Si3N4 reduced the cell viability. However, this behaviour was much more pronounced for the CuO-containing coatings. This work demonstrates the outstanding development potential of electrophoretically deposited multifunctional coatings with potential application in long-term titanium bone implants.
CRIS-Team WoS Importer:2022-10-07

Influence of the replacement of silica by boron trioxide on the properties of bioactive glass scaffolds - Schuhladen, Katharina; Pantulap, Usanee; Engel, Kristin; Jeleń, Piotr; Olejniczak, Zbigniew; Hupa, Leena; Sitarz, Maciej; Boccaccini, Aldo R. (International Journal of Applied Glass Science, 2021)
The dissolution properties and bioactivity of bioactive glasses (BGs) are mainly determined by their composition and glass network structure. Silicate BGs are arguable the most popular representatives of BGs. However, borate BGs have gained increasing interest due to their faster degradation rate. By adding boron trioxide in the silicate network, borosilicate BGs can be fabricated with controlled degradation rates. Since the kind and amount of network former determines the resulting BG properties, the aim of this study was to examine the glass structure of silicate, borosilicate and borate BGs. Also, the effect of changing the network former on the ability to fabricate BG scaffolds by the foam replica method was investigated. The resulting silicate, borosilicate, and borate scaffolds were further examined on their chemical, morphological, mechanical, and bioactive properties. Structural analyses showed that the introduction of boron trioxide into silicate BGs leads to the depolymerization of the silicate network. Accordingly, the ion release profile and the ability to form hydroxyapatite of the different scaffolds were affected. Thus, this study shows that tailored BG compositions with case-specific properties can be designed and used to fabricate 3D scaffolds for potential use in bone tissue engineering.
CRIS-Team Scopus Importer:2021-04-09
Keywords: bioactive glass; bioactivity; borate; borosilicate; scaffolds; structural analyses

Influence of zinc ions on structure, bioactivity, biocompatibility and antibacterial potential of melt-derived and gel-derived glasses from CaO-SiO2 system - Wajda, Aleksandra; Goldmann, Wolfgang; Detsch, Rainer; Boccaccini, Aldo R.; Sitarz, Maciej (Journal of Non-Crystalline Solids, 2019)
Several different compositions of zinc-containing glasses in the CaO-SiO2 system were obtained by both traditional melting technique and the sol-gel method. The influence of zinc ions addition in the glass composition was evaluated using different spectroscopic methods (FTIR and Si-29 MAS-NMR). It was demonstrated that ZnO has a significant effect on glass structure and, as a consequence, on thermal properties, texture and bioactivity. EDX and ICP data showed that zinc ions reduce glass bioactivity and incorporate in the newly forming HCA layer. Evaluation of the in vitro biocompatibility of the obtained materials was performed by indirect tests using MG-63 osteoblast-like cells. All samples were found to be biocompatible and zinc ions enhanced the cell viability. Antibacterial tests against gram-negative (E. coli) and gram-positive bacteria (S. aureus) were carried out to evaluate the antibacterial potential of the zinc-doped glasses.
CRIS-Team WoS Importer:2019-04-18

Influences of mesoporous magnesium silicate on the hydrophilicity, degradability, mineralization and primary cell response to a wheat protein based biocomposite - Feng, Shipeng; Li, Jianyou; Jiang, Xuesheng; Li, Xiongfeng; Pan, Yongkang; Zhao, Liming; Boccaccini, Aldo R.; Zheng, Kai; Yang, Lili; Wei, Jie (Journal of Materials Chemistry B, 2016)

Inhibition of calcification of polymer-ceramic composites incorporating nanocrystalline TiO2 - Piegat, A.; El Fray, M.; Jawad, H.; Chen, Q. Z.; Boccaccini, Aldo R. (Advances in Applied Ceramics, 2008)
An emerging problem related to the development of polymer surfaces resistant to calcification was addressed in this work. Multiblock copolymers containing poly(ethylene terephthalate) (PET) (30 wt-%) as hard segment and dilinoleic acid (DLA) as soft segment were prepared in the presence of two concentrations of TiO2 particles (23 nm diameter) as nanofiller (0·2 and 0·4 wt-%) via in situ polycondensation process. Changes of thermal properties as well as investigations of topography of these nanocomposites suggest that addition of small amount of TiO2 nanoparticles resulted in higher crystallinity and roughness of the copolymer surface. Incubation in simulated body fluid (SBF) increased the roughness of all copolymers characterised by root mean square (rms) values; however, no hydroxyapatite layer was formed on the samples surface. The highest difference of rms values was found for the neat PET/DLA material. The addition of nanocrystalline TiO2 seems to prevent the material surface from calcification which represents a positive effect when such nanocomposite is intended for medical applications, especially for uses in contact with soft tissue. © 2008 Institute of Materials, Minerals and Mining.
UnivIS-Import:2015-03-09:Pub.2008.tech.IW.LM.inhibi
Keywords: Nanocomposites; Polyesters; TiO

Initial Attatchment of rMSC and MG-63 Cells on Patterned Bioglass® Substrates - Detsch, Rainer; Guillon, Olivier; Wondraczek, Lothar; Boccaccini, Aldo R. (Advanced Engineering Materials, 2012)
A soft lithography technique was used to introduce surface patterns on the surface of sintered bioactive glass substrates. Osteoblast-like MG-63 cells and rat mesenchymal stem cells (rMSC) seeded on micropatterned bioactive glass surfaces showed different behavior with rMSC exhibiting a better initial attachment than MG-63 cells. Both cytoskeleton formation and cell spreading of rMSC were supported by the bioactive surfaces. In addition, the structured surfaces seemed to guide MG-63 cells to a larger extent than rMSC. The in vitro results are important considering the continuous development of bone tissue scaffolds based on silicate bioactive glasses. Soft lithography technique based on micromolding can be applied to introduce well-defined micropatterns on the surface of sintered bioactive glass substrates. Investigations with osteoblast-like cells and mesenchymal stem cells indicate that surface microstructuring can affect cytocompatibility and enable the assessment of the effects that different topographies have on different cell types. Copyright © 2012 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.
UnivIS-Import:2015-03-09:Pub.2012.tech.IW.LM.initia

Initial studies on the cytotoxicity of ceramics prepared from dry discharge incinerator bottom ash dust - Bourtsalas, A. (Thanos); Detsch, Rainer; Boccaccini, Aldo R.; Cheeseman, Christopher (Ceramics International, 2016)
Keywords: A. Incinerator bottom ash; B. Energy-from-Waste; C. Resource efficiency; D. Cytotoxicity; E. Up-cycling

Injectable bone cements: What benefits the combination of calcium phosphates and bioactive glasses could bring? - Demir-Oğuz, Öznur; Boccaccini, Aldo R.; Loca, Dagnija (Bioactive Materials, 2022)
Out of the wide range of calcium phosphate (CaP) biomaterials, calcium phosphate bone cements (CPCs) have attracted increased attention since their discovery in the 1980s due to their valuable properties such as bioactivity, osteoconductivity, injectability, hardening ability through a low-temperature setting reaction and moldability. Thereafter numerous researches have been performed to enhance the properties of CPCs. Nonetheless, low mechanical performance of CPCs limits their clinical application in load bearing regions of bone. Also, the in vivo resorption and replacement of CPC with new bone tissue is still controversial, thus further improvements of high clinical importance are required. Bioactive glasses (BGs) are biocompatible and able to bond to bone, stimulating new bone growth while dissolving over time. In the last decades extensive research has been performed analyzing the role of BGs in combination with different CaPs. Thus, the focal point of this review paper is to summarize the available research data on how injectable CPC properties could be improved or affected by the addition of BG as a secondary powder phase. It was found that despite the variances of setting time and compressive strength results, desirable injectable properties of bone cements can be achieved by the inclusion of BGs into CPCs. The published data also revealed that the degradation rate of CPCs is significantly improved by BG addition. Moreover, the presence of BG in CPCs improves the in vitro osteogenic differentiation and cell response as well as the tissue-material interaction in vivo.
CRIS-Team Scopus Importer:2022-04-29
Keywords: Bioactive glass; Bone regeneration; Calcium phosphate; Calcium phosphate bone cements; Injectable bone cements

Injectable osteogenic and angiogenic nanocomposite hydrogels for irregular bone defects - Vishnu Priya, M.; Sivshanmugam, A.; Boccaccini, Aldo R.; Goudouri, Ourania Menti; Sun, Wook; Hwang, Nathaniel; Deepthi, S.; Nair, Shantikumar V.; Jayakumar, R. (Biomedical Materials, 2016)
Keywords: angiogenesis; bone regeneration; chitin; fibrin nanoparticles; injectable hydrogel; Mg-doped bioglass; osteogenesis

Injectable self-gelling composites for bone tissue engineering based on gellan gum hydrogel enriched with different bioglasses - Douglas, Timothy E. L.; Piwowarczyk, Wojciech; Pamula, Elzbieta; Liskova, Jana; Schaubroeck, David; Leeuwenburgh, Sander C. G.; Brackman, Gilles; Balcaen, Lieve; Detsch, Rainer; Declercq, Heidi; Cholewa-Kowalska, Katarzyna; Dokupil, Agnieszka; et al. (Biomedical Materials (Bristol), 2014)
Hydrogels of biocompatible calcium-crosslinkable polysaccharide gellan gum (GG) were enriched with bioglass particles to enhance (i) mineralization with calcium phosphate (CaP); (ii) antibacterial properties and (iii) growth of bone-forming cells for future bone regeneration applications. Three bioglasses were compared, namely one calcium-rich and one calcium-poor preparation both produced by a sol-gel technique (hereafter referred to as A2 and S2, respectively) and one preparation of composition close to that of the commonly used 45S5 type (hereafter referred to as NBG). Incubation in SBF for 7 d, 14 d and 21 d caused apatite formation in bioglass-containing but not in bioglass-free samples, as confirmed by FTIR, XRD, SEM, ICP-OES, and measurements of dry mass, i.e. mass attributable to polymer and mineral and not water. Mechanical testing revealed an increase in compressive modulus in samples containing S2 and NBG but not A2. Antibacterial testing using biofilm-forming meticillin-resistant staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) showed markedly higher antibacterial activity of samples containing A2 and S2 than samples containing NBG and bioglass-free samples. Cell biological characterization using rat mesenchymal stem cells (rMSCs) revealed a stimulatory effect of NBG on rMSC differentiation. The addition of bioglass thus promotes GG mineralizability and, depending on bioglass type, antibacterial properties and rMSC differentiation. © 2014 IOP Publishing Ltd.
Keywords: bioglass; bone tissue engineering; gellan gum; hydrogel; injectable; osteoblast

Innovations in Electrophoretic Deposition: Alternating current and pulsed direct current methods-A - Chavez-Valdez, Alejandra; Boccaccini, Aldo R. (Electrochimica Acta, 2012)
UnivIS-Import:2015-03-09:Pub.2012.tech.IW.LM.innova

Insights into ionic medicine: Cerium reduces the presence of reactive oxygen species and favors osteogenic over adipogenic differentiation in human mesenchymal stromal cells - Westhauser, F.; Jacobsen, V.; Zheng, K.; Merle, C.; Boccaccini, Aldo R.; Renkawitz, T.; Kunisch, E. (Journal of Trace Elements in Medicine and Biology, 2025)
The guided application of metallic ions in bone tissue engineering (BTE) has recently gained popularity being described as one important example of ionic medicine (IM). BTE aims to enhance osteogenic differentiation of precursor cells like bone-marrow-derived mesenchymal stromal cells (BMSCs) and, by that, regenerate bone tissue. BMSCs however can also differentiate into adipogenic lineage. It is known that elevated levels of reactive oxygen species (ROS) stimulate BMSC towards (undesired) adipogenic differentiation. One ion, that is particularly interesting for application in IM-guided BTE is cerium (Ce) since it acts as a self-regenerating ROS-scavenger and has already been successfully incorporated in biomaterials. Ce has demonstrated pro-osteogenic, anti-adipogenic and anti-oxidative effects before, however, so far, there is no direct comparative study available that analyzes these effects on human BMSCs in one and the same setting. Therefore, in this study, the influence of Ce nitrate (CeN) on the expression of osteogenic, adipogenic and ROS-scavenging genes in BMSCs was evaluated as well as its impact on formation of an osseous extracellular matrix (ECM), lipid formation and physical ROS presence. The presence of CeN improved BMSCs viability, enhanced proliferation, and reduced ROS-levels. Furthermore, CeN suppressed adipogenesis while osteogenic differentiation and the formation and maturation of the ECM were enhanced. The presence of CeN reduced the physical presence of ROS and the gene expression patterns shifted towards an anti-oxidant profile. Ce therefore constitutes an attractive ion for application in IM-guided BTE. Further research is necessary to clarify the biological mechanisms and pathways that are involved in the Ce-mediated modulation of BMSC differentiation.
CRIS-Team Scopus Importer:2025-05-16
Keywords: Adipogenesis; Cerium; Human bone marrow derived mesenchymal stromal cells; Osteogenesis; Proliferation; Reactive oxygen species; Viability

In silico design of magnesium implants: Macroscopic modeling - Sanz-Herrera, J. A.; Reina-Romo, E.; Boccaccini, Aldo R. (Journal of the Mechanical Behavior of Biomedical Materials, 2018)
Keywords: Biodegradable metals; Computational simulation; Magnesium implants; Mathematical modeling; Tissue Engineering

In-situ Cu-doped MnCo-spinel coatings for solid oxide cell interconnects processed by electrophoretic deposition - Sabato, A. G.; Molin, S.; Javed, H.; Zanchi, E.; Boccaccini, Aldo R.; Smeacetto, F. (Ceramics International, 2019)
The Cu doping of the Mn–Co spinel is obtained “in-situ” by electrophoretic co-deposition of CuO and Mn1.5Co1.5O4 powders and subsequent two-step reactive sintering. Cu-doped Mn1.5Co1.5O4 coatings on Crofer22APU processed by electrophoretic co-deposition method are tested in terms of long term oxidation resistance and area specific resistance tests up to 3600 h. The introduction of Cu in the spinel lead to higher level of densification of coatings for all the considered aging periods at 800 °C and stabilizes the cubic phase of the Mn1.5Co1.5O4 spinel. Corrosion rate of the Cu-doped Mn1.5Co1.5O4 coated Crofer22APU is ∼10x lower than for the uncoated Crofer22APU. The stabilization of the cubic phase due to Cu doping, which reduces the extent of the tetragonal-cubic phase transition and limits possible thermal stresses due to mismatch of coefficients of thermal expansion or volume changes, is reviewed and discussed by means of electrical conductivity measurements together with diffraction patterns and elemental analyses. These novel electrophoretic co-deposited Cu-doped MnCo spinel coatings represent an innovative approach to obtain coatings with higher density and have future applications in the view of reaching lower rates of Cr evaporation form the steel.
CRIS-Team Scopus Importer:2019-06-28
Keywords: Coating; EPD; Solid oxide cell; Spinel

Integration of mesoporous bioactive glass nanoparticles and curcumin into PHBV microspheres as biocompatible composite for drug delivery applications - Aguilar Rabiela, Arturo Elias; Leal-Egaña, Aldo; Nawaz, Qaisar; Boccaccini, Aldo R. (Molecules, 2021)
Bioactive glasses (BGs) are being increasingly considered for biomedical applications. One convenient approach to utilize BGs in tissue engineering and drug delivery involves their combination with organic biomaterials in order to form composites with enhanced biocompatibility and biodegradability. In this work, mesoporous bioactive glass nanoparticles (MBGN) have been merged with polyhydroxyalkanoate microspheres with the purpose to develop drug carriers. The composite carriers (microspheres) were loaded with curcumin as a model drug. The toxicity and delivery rate of composite microspheres were tested in vitro, reaching a curcumin loading efficiency of over 90% and an improving of biocompatibility of different concentrations of MBGN due to its administrations through the composite. The composite microspheres were tested in terms of controlled release, biocompatibility and bioactivity. Our results demonstrate that the composite microspheres can be potentially used in biomedicine due to their dual effects: bioactivity (due to the presence of MBGN) and curcumin release capability.
CRIS-Team Scopus Importer:2021-06-18
Keywords: Bioactive glass nanoparticles; Composite microspheres; Drug delivery systems; PHBV

Interaction of HEPES buffer with glass-ceramic scaffold: Can HEPES replace TRIS in SBF? - Rohanova, Dana; Horkavcova, Diana; Paidere, Laine; Boccaccini, Aldo R.; Bozdechova, Pavlina; Bezdicka, Petr (Journal of Biomedical Materials Research Part B-Applied Biomaterials, 2016)
Keywords: biomaterial; glass-ceramic scaffold; HEPES buffer; in vitro test; simulated body fluid

Interaction of MOPS buffer with glass-ceramic scaffold: Effect of (PO4)(3-) ions in SBF on kinetics and morphology of formatted hydroxyapatite - Horkavcova, Diana; Rohanova, Dana; Stribny, Adam; Schuhladen, Katharina; Boccaccini, Aldo R.; Bezdicka, Petr (Journal of Biomedical Materials Research Part B: Applied Biomaterials, 2019)
The international standard ISO 23317:2014 for the in vitro testing of inorganic biomaterials in simulated body fluid (SBF) uses TRIS buffer to maintain neutral pH. In our previous papers, we investigated the interaction of a glass-ceramic scaffold with TRIS and HEPES buffers. Both of them speeded up glass-ceramic dissolution and hydroxyapatite (HAp) precipitation, thereby demonstrating their unsuitability for the in vitro testing of highly reactive biomaterials. In this article, we tested MOPS buffer (3-[N-morpholino] propanesulfonic acid), another amino acid from the group of "Goods buffers". A highly reactive glass-ceramic scaffold (derived from Bioglass (R)) was exposed to SBF under static-dynamic conditions for 13/15 days. The kinetics and morphology of the newly precipitated HAp were studied using two different concentrations of (PO4)(3-) ions in SBF. The pH value and the Si-IV, Ca2+, and (PO4)(3-) concentrations in the SBF leachate samples were measured every day (AAS, spectrophotometry). The glass-ceramic scaffold was monitored by SEM/EDS, XRD, WD-XRF, and BET before and after 1, 3, 7, 11, and 13/15 days of exposure. As in the case of TRIS and HEPES, the preferential dissolution of the glass-ceramic crystalline phase (Combeite) was observed, but less intensively. The lower concentration of (PO4)(3-) ions slowed down the kinetics of HAp precipitation, thereby causing the disintegration of the scaffold structure. This phenomenon shows that the HAp phase was predominately generated by the presence of (PO4)(3-) ions in the SBF, not in the glass-ceramic material. Irrespective of this, MOPS buffer is not suitable for the maintenance of pH in SBF.
CRIS-Team WoS Importer:2019-12-27

Interfacial Interactions in Calcium Carbonate Materials in the Context of Biomedical Applications - Myszka, Barbara (Friedrich-Alexander-Universität Erlangen-Nürnberg, 2018)

International Journal of Applied Glass Science: Special Issue Editorial - Bernardo, Enrico; Boccaccini, Aldo R.; Duran, Alicia; Galusek, Dusan; Wondraczek, Lothar (International Journal of Applied Glass Science, 2021)
CRIS-Team Scopus Importer:2021-06-11

Introduction to focus issue on electrophoretic deposition - Dickerson, J. H.; Boccaccini, Aldo R. (Journal of The Electrochemical Society, 2015)

Investigating the Effect of Processing and Material Parameters of Alginate Dialdehyde-Gelatin (ADA-GEL)-Based Hydrogels on Stiffness by XGB Machine Learning Model - Ege, Duygu; Boccaccini, Aldo R. (Bioengineering, 2024)
To address the limitations of alginate and gelatin as separate hydrogels, partially oxidized alginate, alginate dialdehyde (ADA), is usually combined with gelatin to prepare ADA-GEL hydrogels. These hydrogels offer tunable properties, controllable degradation, and suitable stiffness for 3D bioprinting and tissue engineering applications. Several processing variables affect the final properties of the hydrogel, including degree of oxidation, gelatin content and type of crosslinking agent. In addition, in 3D-printed structures, pore size and the possible addition of a filler to make a hydrogel composite also affect the final physical and biological properties. This study utilized datasets from 13 research papers, encompassing 33 unique combinations of ADA concentration, gelatin concentration, CaCl2 and microbial transglutaminase (mTG) concentrations (as crosslinkers), pore size, bioactive glass (BG) filler content, and one identified target property of the hydrogels, stiffness, utilizing the Extreme Boost (XGB) machine learning algorithm to create a predictive model for understanding the combined influence of these parameters on hydrogel stiffness. The stiffness of ADA-GEL hydrogels is notably affected by the ADA to GEL ratio, and higher gelatin content for different ADA gel concentrations weakens the scaffold, likely due to the presence of unbound gelatin. Pore size and the inclusion of a BG particulate filler also have a significant impact on stiffness; smaller pore sizes and higher BG content lead to increased stiffness. The optimization of ADA-GEL composition and the inclusion of BG fillers are key determinants to tailor the stiffness of these 3D printed hydrogels, as found by the analysis of the available data.
CRIS-Team Scopus Importer:2024-05-31
Keywords: ADA-GEL; machine learning; osteochondral regeneration; XGBoost algorithm

Investigating the effect of salicylate salt in enhancing the corrosion resistance of AZ91 magnesium alloy for biomedical applications - Francis, Adel; Virtanen, Sannakaisa; Turhan, Metehan C.; Boccaccini, Aldo R. (BioNanoMaterials, 2015)
Keywords: Electrochemical impedance spectroscopy; Magnesium and magnesium alloys; Pretreatment and corrosion protection; Salicylate salts

Investigating the Vascularization of Tissue-Engineered Bone Constructs Using Dental Pulp Cells and 45S5 Bioglass® Scaffolds - El-Gendy, Reem; Kirkham, Jennifer; Newby, Phillipa J.; Mohanram, Yamuna; Boccaccini, Aldo R.; Yang, Xuebin B. (Tissue Engineering - Part A, 2015)
Identification of a suitable cell source combined with an appropriate 3D scaffold is an essential prerequisite for successful engineering of skeletal tissues. Both osteogenesis and angiogenesis are key processes for bone regeneration. This study investigated the vascularization potential of a novel combination of human dental pulp stromal cells (HDPSCs) with 45S5 Bioglass® scaffolds for tissue-engineered mineral constructs in vivo and in vitro. 45S5 Bioglass scaffolds were produced by the foam replication technique with the standard composition of 45wt% SiO2, 24.5wt% Na2O, 24.5wt% CaO, and 6wt% P2O5. HDPSCs were cultured in monolayers and on porous 45S5 Bioglass scaffolds under angiogenic and osteogenic conditions for 2-4 weeks. HDPSCs expressed endothelial gene markers (CD34, CD31/PECAM1, and VEGFR2) under both conditions in the monolayer. A combination of HDPSCs with 45S5 Bioglass enhanced the expression of these gene markers. Positive immunostaining for CD31/PECAM1 and VEGFR2 and negative staining for CD34 supported the gene expression data, while histology revealed evidence of endothelial cell-like morphology within the constructs. More organized tubular structures, resembling microvessels, were seen in the constructs after 8 weeks of implantation in vivo. In conclusion, this study suggests that the combination of HDPSCs with 45S5 Bioglass scaffolds offers a promising strategy for regenerating vascularized bone grafts.

Investigation and characterization of the additive manufacturing of polycaprolactone/bioactive glass hybrid scaffolds for bone tissue engineering via material extrusion processing - Gritsch, Lukas; Askanian, Haroutioun; Bednarzig, Vera; Schrüfer, Stefan; Kaschta, Joachim; Blavignac, Christelle; Peuble, Steve; Gallice, Frederic; Jallot, Edouard; Boccaccini, Aldo R.; Lao, Jonathan (Progress in Additive Manufacturing, 2023)
Thanks to its versatility and effectiveness, additive manufacturing is expected to completely revolutionize the biomedical science field. In bone regenerative medicine, in particular, additive manufacturing has the great potential of opening new avenues of development for patient-specific ad hoc therapies. In theory, a defect could be scanned and precisely replicated, thus offering the best fitting for each patient. The main bottleneck to date is the relatively scarce availability of materials that can be printed reliably and consistently. This is the case for organic/inorganic hybrids, materials produced by sol–gel chemistry that combine the advantages of polymers and bioinorganics at the molecular scale. Due to their complex structure and unique rheological and mechanical properties, the printing of hybrids remains challenging. With this study, we aim to investigate the rheological, thermal and molecular properties of a class I polycaprolactone/bioactive glass hybrid and discover how they correlate with the printability of the material. The molecular weight distribution (gel permeation chromatography), thermal properties (thermal gravimetric analysis, differential scanning calorimetry) and rheological properties of each hybrid material were investigated at all stages of processing. Printing trials via direct material extrusion processing followed by morphological characterization were performed on both polymers and hybrids. Their apatite-forming ability in simulated body fluid was evaluated by scanning electron microscopy and particle-induced X-ray emission. Results confirmed the successful manufacturing of organic/inorganic hybrids using direct material extrusion processing for the first time. Three-dimensional scaffolds were successfully produced without the need for further processing. No additional solvents or convoluted indirect approaches were necessary. Thanks to the thermal analysis, an ideal temperature window for printing was identified. SBF immersion assays confirmed that the material's bioactivity is retained after printing. Considering the presented findings, material extrusion processing might develop into an essential technique for fabricating superior 3D bioactive scaffolds for bone tissue engineering. Graphical abstract: [Figure not available: see fulltext.].
CRIS-Team Scopus Importer:2023-09-29
Keywords: Additive manufacturing; Bioactive glasses; Bioactivity; Fused deposition modeling; Hybrids; Polycaprolactone

Investigation of catalytic activation of peroxydisulfate on cu-doped mesoporous silica-based particles (Cu-BMS) for efficient degradation of methylene blue - Sajjadi, Saeed; Anand, Akrity; Beltrán, Ana M.; Dvoranová, Dana; Boccaccini, Aldo R.; Galusková, Dagmar; Jaška, David; Klement, Róbert (Catalysis Communications, 2024)
The Cu-doped mesoporous silica-based particles (Cu-BMS) were prepared using an evaporation-induced self-assembly sol-gel procedure as a heterogeneous catalyst for the activation of peroxydisulfate (PDS). The formation of well-organized mesoporous structures with amorphous nature and high surface area of 286 m2/g was demonstrated. The catalytic activity of Cu-BMS in the degradation of Methylene Blue (MB) and the effects of operating parameters, including Cu-BMS dosage, initial PDS amount, initial MB concentration, temperature and initial pH, were investigated in details. The Cu-BMS demonstrated a remarkable catalytic activity (93.5% degradation efficiency within 60 min) and good stability.
CRIS-Team Scopus Importer:2024-01-19
Keywords: Advanced oxidation process (AOP); Mesoporous catalyst; Organic pollutant; Persulfate activation

Investigation of functional, physical, mechanical and thermal properties of TiO2 embedded polyester hybrid composites: A design of experiment (DoE) study - Munawar, Muhammad; Schubert, Dirk W.; Khan, Shahzad Maqsood; Ur Rehman, Muhammad Atiq; Gull, Nafisa; Islam, Atif; Sabir, Aneela; Shafique, Muhammad; Haider, Bilal; Azam, Mudassar; Khan, Saba Urooge; Voigt, Monika (Progress in Natural Science, 2018)
Keywords: Design of experiment; Titania; Hybrid composites; Polyester

Investigation of the batch-to-batch inconsistencies of Collagen in PCL-Collagen nanofibers. - Dippold, Dirk; Hardt, Moritz; Boccaccini, Aldo R.; Horch, Raymund E.; Beier, Justus P.; Schubert, Dirk W.; Cai, Aijia (Materials Science and Engineering C, 2019)
The application of tissue engineered constructs is an approach in regenerative therapies to support regeneration of damaged muscular tissue. Therefore the development of highly aligned electrospun scaffolds based on polycaprolactone (PCL) and collagen enables a versatile development towards tailor made applications. However, the application of natural polymers like collagen brings the risk of batch-to-batch inconsistencies, which influence the reproducibility of the electrospinning process. Aligned PCL-Collagen nanofibers were fabricated via electrospinning using benign solvents. The spinnability of different collagen batches and polymer concentrations in diluted acetic acid as solvent was investigated. Furthermore spinning parameters and fiber morphology were investigated in order to determine the most stable spinning conditions and analyze the batch-to-batch variations. Finally the effect of the solution temperature and the time of pure collagen in solution were investigated, to complete the analysis of the influences on the spinning behavior.

In vitro and in ovo impact of the ionic dissolution products of boron-doped bioactive silicate glasses on cell viability, osteogenesis and angiogenesis - Decker, Simon; Arango Ospina, Marcela; Rehder, Felix; Moghaddam, Arash; Simon, Rolf; Merle, Christian; Renkawitz, Tobias; Boccaccini, Aldo R.; Westhauser, Fabian (Scientific Reports, 2022)
Due to the pivotal role of angiogenesis in bone regeneration, the angiogenic properties of biomaterials are of high importance since they directly correlate with the biomaterials' osteogenic potential via 'angiogenic-osteogenic coupling' mechanisms. The impact of bioactive glasses (BGs) on vascularization can be tailored by incorporation of biologically active ions such as boron (B). Based on the ICIE16-BG composition (in mol%: 49.5 SiO2, 36.3 CaO, 6.6 Na2O, 1.1 P2O5, 6.6 K2O), three B-doped BGs have been developed (compositions in mol%: 46.5/45.5/41.5 SiO2, 36.3 CaO, 6.6 Na2O, 1.1 P2O5, 6.6 K2O, 3/4/8 B2O3). The influence of B-doping on the viability, cellular osteogenic differentiation and expression of osteogenic and angiogenic marker genes of bone marrow-derived mesenchymal stromal cells (BMSCs) was analyzed by cultivating BMSCs in presence of the BGs' ionic dissolution products (IDPs). Furthermore, the influence of the IDPs on angiogenesis was evaluated in ovo using a chorioallantoic membrane (CAM) assay. The influence of B-doped BGs on BMSC viability was dose-dependent, with higher B concentrations showing limited negative effects. B-doping led to a slight stimulation of osteogenesis and angiogenesis in vitro. In contrast to that, B-doping significantly enhanced vascularization in ovo, especially in higher concentrations. Differences between the results of the in vitro and in ovo part of this study might be explained via the different importance of vascularization in both settings. The implementation of new experimental models that cover the 'angiogenic-osteogenic coupling' mechanisms is highly relevant, for instance via extending the application of the CAM assay from solely angiogenic to angiogenic and osteogenic purposes.
CRIS-Team WoS Importer:2022-06-03

In vitro and in vivo biocompatibility of alginate dialdehyde/gelatin hydrogels with and without nanoscaled bioactive glass for bone tissue engineering applications - Rottensteiner, Ulrike; Sarker, Bapi; Heusinger, Dominik; Dafinova, Diana; Rath, Subha N.; Beier, Justus; Kneser, Ulrich; Horch, Raymund E.; Detsch, Rainer; Boccaccini, Aldo R.; Arkudas, Andreas (Materials, 2014)
In addition to good mechanical properties needed for three-dimensional tissue engineering, the combination of alginate dialdehyde, gelatin and nano-scaled bioactive glass (45S5) is supposed to combine excellent cellular adhesion, proliferation and differentiation properties, good biocompatibility and predictable degradation rates. The goal of this study was to evaluate the in vitro and in vivo biocompatibility as a first step on the way to its use as a scaffold in bone tissue engineering. In vitro evaluation showed good cell adherence and proliferation of bone marrow derived mesenchymal stem cells seeded on covalently crosslinked alginate dialdehyde-gelatin (ADA-GEL) hydrogel films with and without 0.1% nano-Bioglass® (nBG). Lactate dehydrogenase (LDH)- and mitochondrial activity significantly increased in both ADA-GEL and ADA-GEL-nBG groups compared to alginate. However, addition of 0.1% nBG seemed to have slight cytotoxic effect compared to ADA-GEL. In vivo implantation did not produce a significant inflammatory reaction, and ongoing degradation could be seen after four weeks. Ongoing vascularization was detected after four weeks. The good biocompatibility encourages future studies using ADA-GEL and nBG for bone tissue engineering application. © 2014 by the authors.
Keywords: Alginate dialdehyde; Biocompatibility; Gelatin; Mesenchymal stem cells; Nano-Bioglass®; Tissue engineering

In vitro antistaphylococcal effects of a novel 45S5 bioglass/agar-gelatin biocomposite films - Rivadeneira, J.; Carina Audisio, M.; Boccaccini, Aldo R.; Gorustovich, A. A. (Journal of Applied Microbiology, 2013)
Aims: To assess the antibacterial efficacy of new composite materials developed from microparticles of 45S5 bioactive glass (BG) and agar-gelatin films. Methods and Results: In vitro antibacterial activity was evaluated against Staphylococcus spp. because of the importance of this pathogen in damaged tissues and in failures associated with biomaterial implants. To our knowledge, this is the first paper reporting on the suitable combination of BG and agar-gelatin for bioactive and antibacterial films. Bacterial suspensions up or below 105 CFU ml-1 reflecting situations of wound infection and of noninfection, respectively, were prepared and then put in contact with the biomaterials at 37°C. After 24 and 48 h of incubation, the pH value was measured and the staphylococci strains viability was determined by counting in Mueller-Hinton agar plates. Moreover, the biomaterials were prepared for observation under scanning electron microscopy (SEM). Biocomposites (BCs) showed a strong antibacterial effect against all staphylococci strains tested. Some differences were found depending on the strain, the inoculum size and the contact time. This effect was correlated with an alkalinization of the media. By SEM analyses, no bacterial presence was observed on the surface of BCs in any of the cell concentrations tested at any time. Conclusions: Overall, the coating of 45S5 BG on agar-gelatin films promoted BCs with strong antistaphylococcal activity. The effect was efficient under bacterial concentration up or below 105 CFU ml-1. Additionally, none of the strains were found on BCs surfaces. Significance and Impact of Study: 45S5 bioglass/agar-gelatin biocomposite films are reported for the first time. The results suggest a potential application as wound dressing. © 2013 The Society for Applied Microbiology.
UnivIS-Import:2015-03-09:Pub.2013.tech.IW.LM.invitr
Keywords: Antibacterial activity; Bioactive glass; Biocomposites; Biopolymers

In-vitro bioactivity and cytotoxicity of polarized (Bi0.5Na0.5)TiO3 ceramics as a novel biomaterial for bone repair - Hermann-Muñoz, J. A.; Rincón-López, J. A.; Fernández-Benavides, D. A.; Detsch, Rainer; Alvarado-Orozco, J. M.; Boccaccini, Aldo R.; Muñoz-Saldaña, J. (Materials Letters, 2020)
Poled (Bi0.5Na0.5)TiO3 ceramics were firstly evaluated in the present study for their potential application as a novel biomaterial for bone repair. The formation of bone-like apatite was only observed on polarized surfaces showing a clear influence of polarity on its growth and maturation process after bioactivity tests. A non-cytotoxic effect of (Bi0.5Na0.5)TiO3 ceramics on MC3T3-E1 cells was shown in the viability test. Cells spread along the surface showed slight differences in shape and size due to polarity. Bioactive and non-cytotoxic behavior exhibited by poled (Bi0.5Na0.5)TiO3 ceramics makes them a promising material with tunable in-vitro properties for biomedical applications.
CRIS-Team Scopus Importer:2020-06-16
Keywords: Bismuth-sodium titanate; Bone repair; In-vitro assessment; Piezoelectric ceramics; Surface polarity

In vitro biocompatibility of 45S5 Bioglass (R)-derived glass-ceramic scaffolds coated with poly(3-hydroxybutyrate) - Boccaccini, Aldo R.; et al. (Tissue Engineering -Larchmont, 2009)
UnivIS-Import:2015-03-09:Pub.2009.tech.IW.LM.invitr_7

In vitro cell response to Co-containing 1393 bioactive glass - Hoppe, Alexander; Brandl, Andreas; Bleiziffer, Oliver; Arkudas, Andreas; Horch, Raymund E.; Jokic, Bojan; Janackovic, Djordje; Boccaccini, Aldo R. (Materials Science and Engineering C, 2015)
Abstract Cobalt ions are known to stimulate angiogenesis via inducing hypoxic conditions and hence are interesting agents to be used in conjunction with bioactive glasses (BGs) in bone tissue engineering approaches. In this work we investigated in vitro cell biocompatibility of Co releasing 1393 BG composition (in wt.%: 53SiO2, 6Na2O, 12K2O, 5MgO, 20CaO, and 4P2O5) derived scaffolds with osteoblast-like cells (MG-63) and human dermal microvascular endothelial cells (hDMECs). Cell viability, cell number and cell morphology of osteoblast-like cells in contact with particulate glass and 3D scaffolds were assessed showing good biocompatibility of 1393 reference material and with 1 wt.% CoO addition whereby 5 wt.% of CoO in the glass showed cytotoxicity. Furthermore for 1393 with 1 wt.% of CoO increased mitochondrial activity was measured. Similar observations were made with hDMECs: while 1393 and 1393 with 1 wt.% CoO were biocompatible and the endothelial phenotype was retained, 5 wt.% CoO containing BG showed cytotoxic effects after 1 week of cell culture. In conclusion, 1 wt.% Co containing BG was biocompatible with osteoblast like cells and endothelial cells and showed slightly stimulating effects on osteoblast-like cells whereas the addition of 5 wt.% CoO seems to exceed the vital therapeutic ranges of Co ions being released in physiological fluids.
Keywords: Angiogenesis; Bioactive glass; Cobalt; Endothelial cells

In vitro cytocompatibility and antibacterial studies on biodegradable Zn alloys supplemented by a critical assessment of direct contact cytotoxicity assay - Watroba, Maria; Bednarczyk, Wiktor; Szewczyk, Piotr K.; Kawalko, Jakub; Mech, Krzysztof; Grünewald, Alina; Ünalan, Irem; Taccardi, Nicola; Boelter, Gabriela; Banzhaf, Manuel; Hain, Caroline; Bala, Piotr; et al. (Journal of Biomedical Materials Research Part B: Applied Biomaterials, 2022)
In vitro cytotoxicity assessment is indispensable in developing new biodegradable implant materials. Zn, which demonstrates an ideal corrosion rate between Mg- and Fe-based alloys, has been reported to have excellent in vivo biocompatibility. Therefore, modifications aimed at improving Zn's mechanical properties should not degrade its biological response. As sufficient strength, ductility and corrosion behavior required of load-bearing implants has been obtained in plastically deformed Zn-3Ag-0.5Mg, the effect of simultaneous Ag and Mg additions on in vitro cytocompatibility and antibacterial properties was studied, in relation to Zn and Zn-3Ag. Direct cell culture on samples and indirect extract-based tests showed almost no significant differences between the tested Zn-based materials. The diluted extracts of Zn, Zn-3Ag, and Zn-3Ag-0.5Mg showed no cytotoxicity toward MG-63 cells at a concentration of <= 12.5%. The cytotoxic effect was observed only at high Zn2+ ion concentrations and when in direct contact with metallic samples. The highest LD50 (lethal dose killing 50% of cells) of 13.4 mg/L of Zn2+ ions were determined for the Zn-3Ag-0.5Mg. Similar antibacterial activity against Escherichia coli and Staphylococcus aureus was observed for Zn and Zn alloys, so the effect is attributed mainly to the released Zn2+ ions exhibiting bactericidal properties. Most importantly, our experiments indicated the limitations of water-soluble tetrazolium salt-based cytotoxicity assays for direct tests on Zn-based materials. The discrepancies between the WST-8 assay and SEM observations are attributed to the interference of Zn2+ ions with tetrazolium salt, therefore favoring its transformation into formazan, giving false cell viability quantitative results.
CRIS-Team WoS Importer:2022-09-02

In vitro degradation and bioactivity of composite poly-l-lactic (PLLA)/bioactive glass (BG) scaffolds: comparison of 45S5 and 1393BG compositions - Conoscenti, Gioacchino; Pavia, Francesco Carfi; Ciraldo, Francesca; Liverani, Liliana; Brucato, Valerio; La Carrubba, Vincenzo; Boccaccini, Aldo R. (Journal of Materials Science, 2018)

In vitro endothelial cell response to ionic dissolution products from boron-doped bioactive glass in the SiO2-CaO-P2O5-Na2O system - Durand, Luis A. Haro; Gongora, Adrian; Lopez, Jose M. Porto; Boccaccini, Aldo R.; Zago, M. Paola; Baldi, Alberto; Gorustovich, Alejandro (Journal of Materials Chemistry B, 2014)
As it has been established that boron (B) may perform functions in angiogenesis and osteogenesis, the controlled and localized release of B ions from bioactive glasses (BGs) is expected to provide a promising therapeutic alternative for regenerative medicine of vascularized tissues, such as bone. The aim of this study was to assess the in vitro angiogenic effects of the ionic dissolution products (IDPs) from BGs in the SiO-CaO-NaO-PO (45S5) system and of those from 45S5 BG doped with 2 wt% BO (45S5.2B). The results show, for the first time, the IDPs from 45S5.2B BG stimulated human umbilical vein endothelial cell (HUVEC) proliferation and migration that were associated with phosphorylation of extracellular signal-related kinase (ERK) 1/2, focal adhesion kinase (FAK) and p38 protein. It was also shown that IDPs from 45S5.2B BG could enhance in vitro HUVEC tubule formation and secretion of interleukin 6 (IL6) and the basic fibroblast growth factor (bFGF). The effects observed are attributed to the presence of B in the IDPs. These findings are relevant to bone tissue engineering and regeneration because the IDPs from 45S5.2B BG may act as inexpensive inorganic angiogenic agents providing a convenient alternative to the application of conventional angiogenic growth factors.

In vitro evaluation of 45S5 Bioglass-derived glass-ceramic scaffolds coated with carbon nanotubes - Meng, Decheng; Rath, Subha Narayan; Mordan, Nichola; Salih, Vehid; Kneser, Ulrich; Boccaccini, Aldo R. (Journal of Biomedical Materials Research Part A, 2011)
Highly porous (>90% porosity) 45S5 Bioglass®-derived glass-ceramic scaffolds were fabricated by foam replication method, and coated with carbon nanotubes (CNT) (coating thickness: 1 μm) using electrophoretic deposition (EPD). In vitro cell culture using mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) was carried out on both scaffold systems (with and without CNT coating) over a 4-week period. By using AlamarBlue ™, BSA and alkaline phosphatase assays; the cell viability and differentiation were measured quantitatively measured and compared between the two scaffold types. The results showed that both scaffold systems are biocompatible with MSCs and they can support the cellular activity. No cytotoxic effects of CNT were observed under the conditions of the present experiments. Although a lower initial cell viability on the CNT-coated scaffolds was observed, no significant differences were found after 4 weeks of culture compared with the uncoated scaffolds. This work therefore shows that there is in principle no significant improvement of cellular responses by creating a CNT-coating on this type of highly bioactive scaffolds. However, the electrical conductivity introduced by the coating might have the potential to increase cell viability and differentiation when cell culture is carried out under the effect of electrical stimulation. © 2011 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
UnivIS-Import:2015-03-09:Pub.2011.tech.IW.LM.invitr
Keywords: bioactive glass; bone tissue engineering; carbon nanotubes; scaffolds

In vitro evaluation of poly (vinyl alcohol)/collagen blended hydrogels for regulating human periodontal ligament fibroblasts and gingival fibroblasts - Zhou, Tian; Zheng, Kai; Sui, Baiyan; Boccaccini, Aldo R.; Sun, Jiao (International Journal of Biological Macromolecules, 2020)
Periodontitis is a chronic inflammatory disease that can destroy periodontal tissue. Guided tissue regeneration (GTR) is widely applied to treat periodontitis. However, the challenge is to develop a GTR membrane capable of simultaneously regenerating periodontal tissue and preventing epithelial downgrowth into the defect. Herein, blended hydrogels composed of polyvinyl alcohol (PVA) and fish collagen (Col) were prepared as GTR membranes. The morphology, Col release, and cellular behavior of the blended hydrogels were evaluated. The results showed that the surface porosity and Col release of the PVA/Col blended hydrogels were enhanced by increasing the Col concentration. The adhesion and proliferation of human periodontal ligament fibroblasts (HPDLFs) and human gingival fibroblasts (HGFs) on the PVA/Col blended hydrogels can be regulated by tuning the PVA/Col ratio. The PVA/Col (50:50) blended hydrogel exhibited the highest cell proliferation rate for HPDLFs with spread cell morphology; the lowest viability for HGFs was found on the PVA/Col (100:0) hydrogel. Thus, by controlling the ratio of PVA to Col, multifunctional PVA/Col blended hydrogels able to regulate the cellular behavior of HPDLFs and HGFs can be developed, demonstrating their potential as GTR membrances for guiding periodontal tissue regeneration.
CRIS-Team Scopus Importer:2020-10-09
Keywords: Fish collagen; Hydrogels; PVA

In vitro human umbilical vein endothelial cells response to ionic dissolution products from lithium-containing 45S5 bioactive glass - Haro Durand, Luis A.; Vargas, Gabriela E.; Vera-Mesones, Rosa; Baldi, Alberto; Zago, Maria P.; Fanovich, Maria A.; Boccaccini, Aldo R.; Gorustovich, Alejandro (Materials, 2017)
Keywords: Bioactive glass; Endothelial cell; Lithium

In-vitro mechanical and biological evaluation of novel zirconia reinforced bioglass scaffolds for bone repair - Gouveia, Paula F.; Mesquita-Guimarães, Joana; Galárraga-Vinueza, María E.; Souza, Júlio C.M.; Silva, Filipe S.; Fredel, Márcio C.; Boccaccini, Aldo R.; Detsch, Rainer; Henriques, Bruno (Journal of the Mechanical Behavior of Biomedical Materials, 2021)
Bone defects resulting from infections, tumors, or traumas represent a major health care issue. Tissue engineering has been working togehter with medicine to develop techniques to repair bone damage and increase patient's life quality. In that context, scaffolds composed of bioactive ceramics have been explored, although their poor mechanical properties restrain their clinical applications as highly porous structures. As an alternative solution, this study aimed to evaluate the mechanical properties and biological response of novel zirconia reinforced bioactive glass scaffolds (ZRBG) manufactured by the replica method. The microstructure, chemical composition, compressive strength, density, in-vitro bioactivity, and cell viability were analyzed and compared to scaffolds made of monolithic zirconia of similar architecture (45, 60 and 85 ppi). The microstructure of ZRGB scaffolds consisted of a bioactive glass matrix with dispersed zirconia particles ( 33% glassy phase) and the compressive strength values (ZRBG scaffolds: 0.33 ± 0.11, 0.41 ± 0.20 and 0.48 ± 0.6 MPa; ZRBG scaffolds with extra BG coating: 0.38 ± 0.13, 0.45 ± 0.11 and 0.50 ± 0.14 MPa for 45, 60 and 80 ppi, respectively) were not statistically different from those of zirconia scaffolds (0.25 ± 0.14 MPa for 45 ppi, 0.32 ± 0.11 MPa for 60 ppi and 0.44 ± 0.07 MPa for 80 ppi). No bioactivity was exhibited by monolithic zirconia scaffolds while significant bioactive response was found for ZRBG scaffolds. The cell viability of ZRBG scaffolds in osteogenic medium was improved up to 171% over zirconia scaffolds. This work provides promosing results for further exploring this technique for implant dentistry.
CRIS-Team Scopus Importer:2021-01-15
Keywords: Bioactive glass; Bioactivity; Cell culture; Scaffolds; Tissue engineering; Zirconia

In vitro -Osteoclastic Activity Studies on Surfaces of 3D Printed Calcium Phosphate Scaffolds - Detsch, Rainer; et al. (Journal of Biomaterials Applications, 2011)
Various biomaterials have been developed for the use as bone substitutes for bone defects. To optimize their integration and functionality, they should be adapted to the individual defect. Rapid prototyping is a manufacturing method to tailor materials to the 3D geometry of the defect. Especially 3D printing allows the manufacture of implants, the shape of which can be designed to fit the bone defect using anatomical information obtained from the patient. 3D printing of calcium phosphates, which are well established as bone substitutes, involves a sintering step after gluing the granules together by a binder liquid. In this study, we analyzed if and how these 3D printed calcium phosphate surfaces can be resorbed by osteoclast-like cells. On 3D printed scaffold surfaces consisting of pure HA and Β-TCP as well as a biphasic mixture of HA and TCP the osteoclastic cell differentiation was studied. In this regard, cell proliferation, differentiation, and activation were analyzed with the monocytic cell line RAW 264.7. The results show that osteoclast-like cells were able to resorb calcium phosphate surfaces consisting of granules. Furthermore, biphasic calcium phosphate ceramics exhibit, because of their osteoclastic activation ability, the most promising surface properties to serve as 3D printed bone substitute scaffolds. © 2010 The Author(s).
Keywords: 3D printing; bone reconstruction; calcium phosphate ceramics; osteoclast development; resorption

In Vitro Osteocompatibility and Enhanced Biocorrosion Resistance of Diammonium Hydrogen Phosphate-Pretreated/Poly(ether imide) Coatings on Magnesium for Orthopedic Application - Yang, Yuyun; Zhou, Juncen; Chen, Qiang; Detsch, Rainer; Cui, Xiufang; Jin, Guo; Virtanen, Sannakaisa; Boccaccini, Aldo R. (ACS Applied Materials and Interfaces, 2019)
Magnesium, as a biodegradable metal, is a promising candidate for biomedical applications. To modify the degradation behavior of magnesium and improve its osteocompatibility, chemical conversion and spin coating methods were combined to develop a diammonium hydrogen phosphate-pretreated/poly(ether imide) (DAHP/PEI) co-coating system. The diammonium hydrogen phosphate pretreatment was employed to enhance the attachment between PEI coatings and the magnesium substrate; meanwhile, it could serve as another bioactive and anticorrosion layer when PEI coatings break down. Surface characterization, electrochemical tests, and short-term immersion tests in DMEM were performed to evaluate DAHP/PEI coatings. Electrochemical measurements showed that DAHP/PEI coatings significantly improved the corrosion resistance of pure magnesium. No obvious changes of the chemical compositions of DAHP/PEI coatings occurred after 72 h of immersion in DMEM. An in vitro cytocompatibility study confirmed that viability and LDH activity of human osteoblast-like cells on DAHP/PEI coatings showed higher values than those on the DAHP-pretreated layer and pure magnesium. The DAHP-pretreated layer could still enhance the ALP activity of MG-63 cells after the degradation of PEI in DAHP/PEI coatings. Besides that, the in vitro cellular response to the treated magnesium was investigated to gain knowledge on the differentiation and proliferation of human adipose-derived stem cells (hADSCs). Cell distribution and morphology were observed by fluorescence and SEM images, which demonstrated that DAHP/PEI coatings facilitated cell differentiation and proliferation. The high level of C-terminals of collagen type I production of hADSCs on DAHP/PEI coatings indicated the potential of the coating for promoting osteogenic differentiation. Positive results from long-term cytocompatibility and proliferation tests indicate that DAHP/PEI coatings can offer an excellent surface for hADSCs.
CRIS-Team Scopus Importer:2019-08-27
Keywords: coatings; corrosion; cytocompatibility; diammonium hydrogen phosphate; magnesium; osteocompatibility; poly(ether imide); stem cells

In vitro reactivity of Cu doped 45S5 Bioglass® derived scaffolds for bone tissue engineering - Hoppe, Alexander; Meszaros, Robert; Staehli, Christoph; Romeis, Stefan; Schmidt, Jochen; Peukert, Wolfgang; Marelli, Benedetto; Nazhat, Showan N.; Wondraczek, Lothar; Lao, Jonathan; Jallot, Edouard; Boccaccini, Aldo R. (Journal of Materials Chemistry B, 2013)
Cu-doped 45S5 bioactive glasses with varying Cu contents were fabricated and used to process 3D porous scaffolds via the foam replica technique. Cu-doping results in the weakening of the glass network and a decrease in its glass transition temperature. Acellular in vitro studies revealed very high bioactivity independent of Cu doping as indicated by the fast formation of a carbonated hydroxyapatite layer (CHA) on scaffold surfaces after immersion in simulated body fluid (SBF). The kinetics of the glass-ceramic scaffold's transition to an amorphous calcium phosphate layer (ACP) and the crystallisation of CHA were explored by FT-IR and SEM analyses. The elemental distribution in the scaffold/fluid interface region was monitored by the advanced micro-PIXE-RBS (particle induced X-ray emission/Rutherford backscattering spectrometry) method. Cu-containing glasses showed slower release of Si, Ca and P from the scaffold periphery, whereas traces of Cu were found incorporated in the CaP layer on the scaffold surface. Cu release kinetics from the scaffolds in SBF were found to depend on culturing conditions while highest Cu concentrations of ∼3.1 ppm and ∼4.6 ppm under static and quasi-dynamic conditions, respectively, were observed. Since Cu exhibits potential angiogenic and osteogenic properties, the Cu-containing scaffolds are suggested as promising materials for bone tissue engineering applications. © 2013 The Royal Society of Chemistry.
UnivIS-Import:2015-03-09:Pub.2013.tech.IW.LM.invitr_2

In vitro reactivity of Sr-containing bioactive glass (type 1393) nanoparticles - Hoppe, Alexander; Sarker, Bapi; Detsch, Rainer; Hild, N.; Mohn, D.; Stark, W. J.; Boccaccini, Aldo R. (Journal of Non-Crystalline Solids, 2014)
Nanosized bioactive glass (nBG) particles show high in vitro reactivity as a result of their high specific surface making them promising materials for bone tissue engineering. In this study, we investigate the in vitro reactivity of Sr-containing nanosized bioactive glass particles (type 1393) in simulated body fluid (SBF). Hydroxyapatite (HAp) formation was monitored by Fourier Transform Infrared (FT-IR) spectroscopy and X-ray diffraction (XRD) showing that HAp crystallization was delayed with increasing Sr-content due to the inhibitory effect of Sr on HAp mineralization. The HAp forming ability of bioactive glasses gives insight into their surface reactivity which is relevant for application of nanoscaled bioactive glass particles in bone regeneration. © 2013 Elsevier B.V.
Keywords: Bioactive glasses; Bioactivity; Mineralization; Nanoparticles

In vitro- studies of cell growth on three differently fabricated hydroxyapatite ceramic scaffolds for bone tissue engineering - Detsch, Rainer; et al. (Key Engineering Materials, 2008)
The aim of this study is to analyse the influence of differently fabricated HA-scaffolds on bone marrow stromal cells. Therefore, three methods were used (a polyurethane (PU)-replica technique, the dispense-plotting and a negative mould technique) to produce porous hydroxyapatite (HA) ceramics. The different HA-scaffolds were then cultivated with an osteoblastic precursor cell line. In our study, highest cell proliferation and differentiation was achieved by using (PU)-replica technique. However, this study shows also that all three types of scaffolds are suitable for tissue engineering applications and as bone substitute material. The knowledge about the influence of pore size and geometry on the cell behaviour will help to tailor scaffolds, by different 3D fabrication methods, for the needs of tissue engineering laboratories or patients.
Keywords: Bone cells; Calciumphosphate ceramic; Tissue engineering

In vitro study of bioactive glass coatings obtainedby atmospheric plasma spraying - Cañas, Eugeni; Grünewald, Alina; Detsch, Rainer; Orts, María José; Sánchez, Enrique; Boccaccini, Aldo R. (Boletin De La Sociedad Espanola De Ceramica Y Vidrio, 2020)
This research has addressed a complete study of the bioactivity of bioactive glass coatingsobtained by atmospheric plasma spraying. The coatings have been characterized in termsof microstructure, adhesion, crystalline phases and bioactivity. Hydroxycarbonate apatiteformation was also monitored following a standard protocol and the in vitro cell responsewas evaluated by human osteoblast-like cells (MG-63 cells) incubation.The obtained coatings shown a microstructure typical of glass coatings. A simulated bodyfluid test proved that coatings are capable of developing a surface layer of hydroxycarbon-ate apatite whereas the appearance of this phase takes place at a longer time than thatobserved for the powder feedstock. Cell-culture test showed multidirectional growth of MG-63 cells which promoted good contact between cells and the surface of the coating. Thisstudy has confirmed a positive effect of the coatings in terms of surface bioactivity and, moreinterestingly, it has proven an adequate cell-material interaction on the coating surface.
CRIS-Team Scopus Importer:2020-08-28
Keywords: Atmospheric plasma spraying; Bioactive glass coatings; Bioactive glass powder; Cell culture test; Simulated body fluid

In vitro study of polycaprolactone/bioactive glass composite coatings on corrosion and bioactivity of pure Mg. - Yang, Yuyun; Michalczyk, Caroline; Singer, Ferdinand; Virtanen, Sannakaisa; Boccaccini, Aldo R. (Applied Surface Science, 2015)

In vitro Study of the Antibacterial Activity of Bioactive Glass-ceramic Scaffolds - Gorriti, Marta F.; Porto Lopez, Jose M.; Boccaccini, Aldo R.; Audisio, Carina; Gorustovich, Alejandro A. (Advanced Engineering Materials, 2009)
UnivIS-Import:2015-03-09:Pub.2009.tech.IW.LM.invitr

In-vitro study of the bioactivity and cytotoxicity response of Ti surfaces modified by Nb and Mo diffusion treatments - Urena, Julia Maria; Tsipas, Sophia Alexandra; Jimenez-Morales, A.; Gordo, E.; Detsch, Rainer; Boccaccini, Aldo R. (Surface & Coatings Technology, 2018)
Keywords: Bioactivity; Cytotoxicity; Powder technology; Surface modification; β-Gradient titanium

In Vivo Validation of Spray-Dried Mesoporous Bioactive Glass Microspheres Acting as Prolonged Local Release Systems for BMP-2 to Support Bone Regeneration - Berkmann, Julia C.; Herrera Martin, Aaron X.; Pontremoli, Carlotta; Zheng, Kai; Bucher, Christian H.; Ellinghaus, Agnes; Boccaccini, Aldo R.; Fiorilli, Sonia; Vitale Brovarone, Chiara; Duda, Georg N.; Schmidt-Bleek, Katharina (Pharmaceutics, 2020)
Bone morphogenetic protein-2 (BMP-2) is a known key mediator of physiological bone regeneration and is clinically approved for selected musculoskeletal interventions. Yet, broad usage of this growth factor is impeded due to side effects that are majorly evoked by high dosages and burst release kinetics. In this study, mesoporous bioactive glass microspheres (MBGs), produced by an aerosol-assisted spray-drying scalable process, were loaded with BMP-2 resulting in prolonged, low-dose BMP-2 release without affecting the material characteristics. In vitro, MBGs were found to be cytocompatible and to induce a pro-osteogenic response in primary human mesenchymal stromal cells (MSCs). In a pre-clinical rodent model, BMP-2 loaded MBGs significantly enhanced bone formation and influenced the microarchitecture of newly formed bone. The MBG carriers alone performed equal to the untreated (empty) control in most parameters tested, while additionally exerting mild pro-angiogenic effects. Using MBGs as a biocompatible, pro-regenerative carrier for local and sustained low dose BMP-2 release could limit side effects, thus enabling a safer usage of BMP-2 as a potent pro-osteogenic growth factor.
CRIS-Team WoS Importer:2020-11-06

Ionically and Enzymatically Dual Cross-Linked Oxidized Alginate Gelatin Hydrogels with Tunable Stiffness and Degradation Behavior for Tissue Engineering - Distler, Thomas; Mcdonald, Kilian; Heid, Susanne; Karakaya, Emine; Detsch, Rainer; Boccaccini, Aldo R. (ACS Biomaterials Science and Engineering, 2020)
Hydrogels that allow for the successful long-term in vitro culture of cell-biomaterial systems to enable the maturation of tissue engineering constructs are highly relevant in regenerative medicine. Naturally derived polysaccharide-based hydrogels promise to be one material group with enough versatility and chemical functionalization capability to tackle the challenges associated with long-term cell culture. We report a marine derived oxidized alginate, alginate dialdehyde (ADA), and gelatin (GEL) system (ADA-GEL), which is cross-linked via ionic (Ca2+) and enzymatic (microbial transglutaminase, mTG) interaction to form dually cross-linked hydrogels. The cross-linking approach allowed us to tailor the stiffness of the hydrogels in a wide range (from <5 to 120 kPa), without altering the initial ADA and GEL hydrogel chemistry. It was possible to control the degradation behavior of the hydrogels to be stable for up to 30 days of incubation. Increasing concentrations of mTG cross-linker solutions allowed us to tune the degradation behavior of the ADA-GEL hydrogels from fast (<7 days) to moderate (14 days) and slow (>30 days) degradation kinetics. The cytocompatibility of mTG cross-linked ADA-GEL was assessed using NIH-3T3 fibroblasts and ATDC-5 mouse teratocarcinoma cells. Both cell types showed highly increased cellular attachment on mTG cross-linked ADA-GEL in comparison to Ca2+ cross-linked hydrogels. In addition, ATDC-5 cells showed a higher proliferation on mTG cross-linked ADA-GEL hydrogels in comparison to tissue culture polystyrene control substrates. Further, the attachment of human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVEC) on ADA-GEL (+) mTG was confirmed, proving the suitability of mTG+Ca2+ cross-linked ADA-GEL for several cell types. Summarizing, a promising platform to control the properties of ADA-GEL hydrogels is presented, with the potential to be applied in long-term cell culture investigations such as cartilage, bone, and blood-vessel engineering, as well as for biofabrication.
CRIS-Team WoS Importer:2020-08-07

Ionic dissolution products of Cerium-doped bioactive glass nanoparticles promote cellular osteogenic differentiation and extracellular matrix formation of human bone marrow derived mesenchymal stromal cells - Westhauser, F.; Rehder, F.; Decker, S.; Kunisch, E.; Moghaddam, A.; Zheng, Kai; Boccaccini, Aldo R. (Biomedical Materials, 2021)
Cerium (Ce) is a promising candidate ion for application in bone tissue engineering (BTE) since it reduces the presence of reactive oxygen species. Ce-doped mesoporous bioactive glass nanoparticles (MBGNs) serving as vectors for the local application of Ce already demonstrated stimulating effects on the expression of pro-osteogenic genes in Saos-2 cells. So far, there is no evidence available about the effects of Ce-doped MBGNs on the viability, osteogenic differentiation and the formation of the osseous extracellular matrix (ECM) of primary human bone marrow-derived mesenchymal stromal cells (BMSCs). Therefore, in this study, the biocompatibility of the ionic dissolution products (IDPs) of MBGNs containing increasing concentrations of CeO2 (0.05 MCe-MBGNs, composition in mol%: 86.6SiO2-12.1CaO-1.3CeO2; and 0.2 MCe-MBGNs, composition in mol%: 86.0SiO2-11.8CaO-2.2CeO2) and unmodified MBGNs (composition in mol%: 86SiO2-14CaO) was evaluated using human BMSCs. Eventually, the impact of the MBGNs’ IDPs on the cellular osteogenic differentiation and their ability to build and mature a primitive osseous ECM was assessed. The Ce-doped MBGNs had a positive influence on the viability and stimulated the cellular osteogenic differentiation of human BMSCs evaluated by analyzing the activity of alkaline phosphate as a marker enzyme for osteoblasts in the present setting. Furthermore, the formation and calcification of a primitive osseous ECM was significantly stimulated in the presence of Ce-doped MBGNs in a positive concentration-dependent manner as demonstrated by an elevated presence of collagen and increased ECM calcification. The results of this in-vitro study show that Ce-doped MBGNs are attractive candidates for further application in BTE.
CRIS-Team Scopus Importer:2021-04-02
Keywords: Bone tissue engineering; Cerium; Extracellular matrix; Human mesenchymal stromal cells; Mesoporous bioactive glass nanoparticles

Ionic medicine: Exploiting metallic ions to stimulate skeletal muscle tissue regeneration - Lu, Hsuan-Heng; Ege, Duygu; Salehi, Sahar; Boccaccini, Aldo R. (Acta Biomaterialia, 2024)
The regeneration of healthy and functional skeletal muscle at sites of injuries and defects remains a challenge. Mimicking the natural environment surrounding skeletal muscle cells and the application of electrical and mechanical stimuli are approaches being investigated to promote muscle tissue regeneration. Likewise, chemical stimulation with therapeutic (biologically active) ions is an emerging attractive alternative in the tissue engineering and regenerative medicine fields, specifically to trigger myoblast proliferation, myogenic differentiation, myofiber formation, and ultimately to promote new muscle tissue growth. The present review covers the specialized literature focusing on the biochemical stimulation of muscle tissue repair by applying inorganic ions (bioinorganics). Extracting information from the literature, different ions and their potential influence as chemical cues on skeletal muscle regeneration are discussed. It is revealed that different ions and their varied doses have an individual effect at different stages of muscle cellular development. The dose-dependent effects of ions, as well as applications of ions alone and in combination with biomaterials, are also summarized. Some ions, such as boron, silicon, magnesium, selenium and zinc, are reported to exhibit a beneficial effect on skeletal muscle cells in carefully controlled doses, while the effects of other ions such as iron and copper appear to be contradictory. In addition, calcium is an essential regulatory ion for the differentiation of myoblasts. On the other hand, some ions such as phosphate have been shown to inhibit muscle cell behavior. This review thus provides a complete overview of the application of ionic stimulation for skeletal muscle tissue engineering applications, highlighting the importance of inorganic ions as an attractive alternative to the application of small molecules and growth factors to stimulate muscle tissue repair. Statement of significance: Ionic medicine (IM) is emerging as a promising and attractive approach in the field of tissue engineering, including muscle tissue regeneration. IM is based on the delivery of biologically active ions to injury sites, acting as stimulants for the repair process. This method offers a potentially simpler and more affordable alternative to conventional biomolecule-based regulators such as growth factors. Different biologically active ions, depending on their specific doping concentrations, can have varying effects on cellular development, which could be either beneficial or inhibitory. This literature review covers the field of IM in muscle regeneration with focus on the impact of various ions on skeletal muscle regeneration. The paper is thus a critical summary for guiding future research in ionic-related regenerative medicine, highlighting the potential and challenges of this approach for muscle regeneration.
CRIS-Team Scopus Importer:2024-11-15
Keywords: Ionic medicine; Ions; Muscle regeneration; Skeletal muscle

Ion Release, Hydroxyapatite Conversion, and Cytotoxicity of Boron-Containing Bioactive Glass Scaffolds - Balasubramanian, Preethi; Grünewald, Alina; Detsch, Rainer; Hupa, Leena; Jokic, Bojan; Tallia, Francesca; Solanki, Anu K.; Jones, Julian R.; Boccaccini, Aldo R. (International Journal of Applied Glass Science, 2016)
Keywords: bioactive glasses; bone tissue engineering; borate glasses; borosilicate glasses; scaffolds

Iron and iron-based alloys for temporary cardiovascular applications - Francis, Adel; Yang, Yuyun; Virtanen, Sannakaisa; Boccaccini, Aldo R. (Journal of Materials Science: Materials in Medicine, 2015)

Iron doped manganese cobaltite spinel coatings produced by electrophoretic co-deposition on interconnects for solid oxide cells: Microstructural and electrical characterization - Zanchi, E.; Molin, S.; Sabato, A. G.; Talic, B.; Cempura, G.; Boccaccini, Aldo R.; Smeacetto, F. (Journal of Power Sources, 2020)
We report a systematic microstructural and electrical characterization of iron doped Mn–Co spinel coatings processed by electrophoretic co-deposition of Mn1.5Co1.5O4 and Fe2O3 powders on Crofer 22 APU and AISI 441 steel substrates. Iron addition to Mn–Co spinel coating leads to a reduction of the area specific resistance on both substrates, after 3200 h at 750 °C. The Fe doped Mn–Co coating both leads to a thinner oxide scale and reduces the sub scale oxidation for the Crofer 22 APU substrate. Fe doped Mn–Co on AISI 441 shows both a thicker oxide scale and low area specific resistance values, likely due to a doping effect of the oxide scale by minor alloying elements. The different mechanisms by which iron doping of Mn–Co spinels can influence elemental interdiffusion at the steel-oxide scale-coating interfaces and relative contributions to the overall area specific resistance are evaluated by means of advanced electron microscopy. The promising results are further confirmed in a cell test, where the Fe doped MnCo coated interconnect does not induce any degradation of the oxygen electrode, proving its efficiency.
CRIS-Team Scopus Importer:2020-03-10
Keywords: Coating; Electron microscopy; Electrophoretic deposition; Solid oxide cells

Iron oxide nanoparticle-based nanocomposites in biomedical application - Yang, Yuyun; Liu, Yuejun; Song, Laiming; Cui, Xiufang; Zhou, Juncen; Jin, Guo; Boccaccini, Aldo R.; Virtanen, Sannakaisa (Trends in Biotechnology, 2023)
Iron-oxide-based biomagnetic nanocomposites, recognized for their significant properties, have been utilized in MRI and cancer treatment for several decades. The expansion of clinical applications is limited by the occurrence of adverse effects. These limitations are largely attributed to suboptimal material design, resulting in agglomeration, reduced magnetic relaxivity, and inadequate functionality. To address these challenges, various synthesis methods and modification strategies have been used to tailor the size, shape, and properties of iron oxide nanoparticle (FeONP)-based nanocomposites. The resulting modified nanocomposites exhibit significant potential for application in diagnostic, therapeutic, and theranostic contexts, including MRI, drug delivery, and anticancer and antimicrobial activity. Yet, their biosafety profile must be rigorously evaluated. Such efforts will facilitate the broader clinical translation of FeONP-based nanocomposites in biomedical applications.
CRIS-Team Scopus Importer:2023-09-29
Keywords: biomedical application; iron oxide nanoparticles; nanocomposites

Iron surface functionalization system - Iron oxide nanostructured arrays with polycaprolactone coatings: Biodegradation, cytocompatibility, and drug release behavior - Zhou, Juncen; Yang, Yuyun; Detsch, Rainer; Boccaccini, Aldo R.; Virtanen, Sannakaisa (Applied Surface Science, 2019)
A surface functionalization system targeted for iron-based materials is developed by combining two biodegradable components, iron oxide nanostructured arrays and polycaprolactone (PCL) coatings. Iron oxide nanoporous and nanotubular arrays are superior surface functionalization matrices, while their stability and cytocompatibility can be further improved by PCL coatings, the morphology of which can modify the drug release behavior. The biodegradation behavior of this system was investigated firstly by electrochemical tests, and further biodegradation information (including the surface morphology and chemical composition) was collected from samples used in a long-term in vitro cytocompatibility test over 21 days of incubation with human adipose-derived stem cells (ADSCs). Moreover, the drug release behavior of these arrays coated with various PCL coatings was studied using tetracycline as a model drug. Experimental results demonstrate that PCL coatings can endow iron oxide nanostructured arrays a proper biodegradation behavior with bioactive degradation products on the surface, also leading to high cytocompatibility characterized by the production of collagen type I and cell distribution on the PCL-coated samples. Furthermore, with the barrier effect of PCL, the whole functionalization system shows sustainable drug release behavior.
CRIS-Team Scopus Importer:2019-07-16
Keywords: Cytocompatibility; Degradation; Iron; Nanostructures; Polycaprolactone

Is hydroxyapatite ceramic included in the bone remodelling process? An in vitro study of resorption and formation processes - Detsch, Rainer; et al. (Key Engineering Materials, 2008)
Bone remodelling is a coupled process of bone formation and resorption. This process is physiologically controlled and involves the synthesis of bone matrix by osteoblasts and bone resorption by giant cells called osteoclasts. It includes a complex interaction of cells, with specific chemokine signalling. In order to study bone remodelling in vitro, we cultivated two precursor cellline types in a model coculture system on synthetic hydroxyapatite ceramic (HA) for 14 days. The monocytes have the capacity to differentiate into osteoclast-like cells, and the bone marrow stromal cells can differentiate into osteoblast-like cells. This coculture was used to analyse the in vitro cell interaction between monocytes and stromal cells. Furthermore, the attachment of the bone marrow stromal cells to the resorbed HA-surfaces was studied. In this in vitro study we demonstrated osteoclast-like differentiation and bone marrow stromal growth in a coculture system on a synthetic bone substitute material. Under optimal conditions, HA can be resorbed and bone marrow cells can grow into the lacunas to form new bone. These results give important cues for the adjustment of synthetic bone substitute materials for optimal remodelling behaviour.
Keywords: Bone cells; Calcium phosphate ceramic; Tissue engineering

Is non-buffered DMEM solution a suitable medium for in vitro bioactivity tests? - Rohanova, Dana; Boccaccini, Aldo R.; Horkavcova, Diana; Bozdechova, Pavlina; Bezdicka, Petr; Castoralova, Marketa (Journal of Materials Chemistry B, 2014)
Several laboratories had tested bioactivity of the materials in commercially available solution DMEM (Dulbecco's Modified Eagle's Medium) that is normally used for cultivation of cell cultures. The objective of this work was to find out whether it is possible to replace TRIS-buffered SBF currently used for bioactivity tests with the non-buffered DMEM solution. To understand the role of the organic part of the DMEM solution in the process of crystallization, we have prepared non-buffered solution simulating only its inorganic part (identified as I-solution). It was found that under static-dynamic test conditions calcite (CaCO) and the amorphous phase of calcium phosphate (ACP) formed on the surface of the glass-ceramic (45S5 bioactive glass based) scaffold exposed to both solutions. Additionally, halite (NaCl) formed at the beginning of exposure to DMEM. Hydroxyapatite phase was not detected on the surface in either non-buffered solution. Organic components contained in the DMEM solution failed to prevent formation of crystalline phases. The present results indicate that it is not recommendable to use DMEM for bioactivity tests of glass-ceramic materials due to its low concentration of Ca ions, high concentration of HCO ions and the necessity to maintain sterile environment during the test. © 2014 the Partner Organisations.

Isotopically modified nanoparticles for enhanced detection in bioaccumulation studies - Misra, Superb K.; Dybowska, Agnieszka; Berhanu, Deborah; Croteau, Marie Noele; Luoma, Samuel N.; Boccaccini, Aldo R.; Valsami-Jones, Eugenia (Environmental Science & Technology, 2012)
This work presents results on synthesis of isotopically enriched (99% 65Cu) copper oxide nanoparticles and its application in ecotoxicological studies. 65CuO nanoparticles were synthesized as spheres (7 nm) and rods (7 × 40 nm). Significant differences were observed between the reactivity and dissolution of spherical and rod shaped nanoparticles. The extreme sensitivity of the stable isotope tracing technique developed in this study allowed determining Cu uptake at exposure concentrations equivalent to background Cu concentrations in freshwater systems (0.2-30 μg/L). Without a tracer, detection of newly accumulated Cu was impossible, even at exposure concentrations surpassing some of the most contaminated water systems (>1 mg/L). © 2011 American Chemical Society.
UnivIS-Import:2015-03-09:Pub.2012.tech.IW.LM.isotop

Is quercetin an alternative natural crosslinking agent to genipin for long-term dermal scaffolds implantation? - Greco, Karin V.; Francis, Lydia; Huang, Honglei; Ploeg, Rutger; Boccaccini, Aldo R.; Ansari, Tahera (Journal of Tissue Engineering and Regenerative Medicine, 2018)
As biocompatible matrices, porcine dermal scaffolds have limited application in tissue engineering due to rapid degradation following implantation. This study compared the physical, chemical and biomechanical changes that occurred when genipin and quercetin were used to crosslink dermal scaffolds and to determine whether quercetin could be used as an alternative to genipin. Physicochemical changes in the collagen were assessed using spectroscopic methods [X-ray diffraction analysis (XRD) and nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) analysis]. The crosslinking reaction was evaluated by quantification of amino acids and the degree of this reaction by ninhydrin assay. Because the mechanical behaviour of the collagen matrices is highly influenced by crosslinking, the tensile strength of both sets of scaffolds was evaluated. The highest mechanical strength, stiffness, degree of crosslinking and changes in the packing features of collagen (measured by XRD) were achieved using genipin. Some of the results found in the quercetin-crosslinked scaffolds were possibly due to hydration and dehydration effects elicited by the solvents (phosphate-buffered saline or ethanol), as seen in the NMR results. In the quercetin-ethanol-crosslinked scaffolds, possible reorientation of the amino groups of the collagen molecule may have taken place. Therefore, depending on their proximity to the crosslinking reagent, different types and numbers of interactions may have occurred, inducing a higher crosslinking degree (as evidenced by the ninhydrin assay) and reduction in the free amino acids after reaction. Both crosslinking agents and solvents interfere in the physicochemical properties of collagen thereby inducing variations in the matrix structure. Quercetin-crosslinked scaffolds may have broader clinical application where a lower degree of crosslinking and stiffness is required. Copyright © 2016 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

Is There an Influence of Electrically Stimulated Osteoblasts on the Induction of Osteoclastogenesis? - Sahm, Franziska; Jakovljevic, Ana; Bader, Rainer; Detsch, Rainer; Jonitz-Heincke, Anika (Applied Sciences, 2022)
Bone is a highly dynamic tissue characterized mainly by the interactions of osteoblasts and osteoclasts. When the healing ability of bone regeneration is disturbed, targeted biophysical stimulations such as electrical stimulation are applied. In this study the indirect effects of electrically stimulated human osteoblasts on osteoclastogenesis were investigated to better understand detailed cellular interactions. Therefore, two different cell developmental stages were examined: peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) as precursors and pre-osteoclasts as differentiated cells. Previously, over a 21-day period, human osteoblasts were stimulated with a low-frequency alternating electric field. The supernatants were collected and used for an indirect co-culture of PBMCs and pre-osteoclasts. The cellular viability and the induction of differentiation and activity were analyzed. Further, the secretion of relevant osteoclastic markers was examined. Supernatants of 7 d and 14 d stimulated osteoblasts led to a decrease in the viability of PBMCs and an increased number of cells containing actin ring structures. Supernatants from osteoblasts stimulated over 7 d induced PBMC differentiation and pre-osteoclastic activation. Furthermore, pre-osteoclasts showed varying mRNA transcripts of MCP-1, ACP5, CA2, and CASP8 when cultivated with media from osteoblasts. Supernatants from day 21 did not influence PBMCs at all but increased the viability of pre-osteoclasts. We could show that different time points of stimulated osteoblasts have varying effects on the cells and that changes can be observed due to the differentiation stages of the cells. Through the effects of the indirect stimulation, it was possible to underline the importance of studying not only osteoblastic differentiation and mineralization behavior under electric stimulation but also analyzing changes in osteoclastogenesis and the activity of osteoclasts.
CRIS-Team Scopus Importer:2022-12-09
Keywords: alternating electric fields; biophysical stimulation; bone remodeling; indirect co-culture; osteoclastogenesis; PBMCs; pre-osteoclasts

IVM Advances for Early Antral Follicle-Enclosed Oocytes Coupling Reproductive Tissue Engineering to Inductive Influences of Human Chorionic Gonadotropin and Ovarian Surface Epithelium Coculture - Peserico, Alessia; Di Berardino, Chiara; Capacchietti, Giulia; Camerano Spelta Rapini, Chiara; Liverani, Liliana; Boccaccini, Aldo R.; Russo, Valentina; Mauro, Annunziata; Barboni, Barbara (International Journal of Molecular Sciences, 2023)
In vitro maturation (IVM) is not a routine assisted reproductive technology (ART) for oocytes collected from early antral (EA) follicles, a large source of potentially available gametes. Despite substantial improvements in IVM in the past decade, the outcomes remain low for EA-derived oocytes due to their reduced developmental competences. To optimize IVM for ovine EA-derived oocytes, a three-dimensional (3D) scaffold-mediated follicle-enclosed oocytes (FEO) system was compared with a validated cumulus-oocyte complex (COC) protocol. Gonadotropin stimulation (eCG and/or hCG) and/or somatic cell coculture (ovarian vs. extraovarian-cell source) were supplied to both systems. The maturation rate and parthenogenetic activation were significantly improved by combining hCG stimulation with ovarian surface epithelium (OSE) cells coculture exclusively on the FEO system. Based on the data, the paracrine factors released specifically from OSE enhanced the hCG-triggering of oocyte maturation mechanisms by acting through the mural compartment (positive effect on FEO and not on COC) by stimulating the EGFR signaling. Overall, the FEO system performed on a developed reproductive scaffold proved feasible and reliable in promoting a synergic cytoplasmatic and nuclear maturation, offering a novel cultural strategy to widen the availability of mature gametes for ART.
CRIS-Team Scopus Importer:2023-04-21
Keywords: early antral follicle; EGF signaling; follicle-enclosed oocyte; human chorionic gonadotropin; in vitro oocyte maturation; ovarian surface epithelium; PCL electrospun scaffold; sheep

Kompositmaterialien bestehend aus bioaktivem Glas und natürlichen Proteinen für die Anwendung im Knochen Tissue Engineering - Hum, Jasmin (2016)
The present study has focused on the development and characterization of novel composite materials based on bioactive glass and natural derived proteins for the possible application in bone tissue engineering. Due to the progressive world population aging and the limited ability of the human body to restore lost tissue, there is an increasing demand for the regeneration of tissue damaged by disease or trauma. Especially, the replacement and repair of bone tissue represents a significant challenge. Nowadays, methods for the treatment of damaged bone tissue focus mainly on autologous or allogeneic bone grafts. Nevertheless, many drawbacks are associated with such implants like limited availability, risk of infections, incompatibility or ethical concerns. Therefore, the interdisciplinary field of bone tissue engineering (BTE) considers the development of so-called scaffolds which can provide an alternative for auto- and allografts. Some type of scaffolds for BTE comprises inorganic synthetic materials such as hydroxyapatite or bioactive glasses, e.g. the 45S5 Bioglass® composition. The application of 45S5 bioactive glass is attracting increasing attention as this material offers many advantages like bioactivity, osteoconductivity and angiogenic effects. However, the high brittleness of bioactive glass-based scaffolds limits their application area in bone tissue engineering, particularly in load-bearing parts. To overcome this problem, composite materials are developed to combine the key characteristics of different material classes. In this work, improvement of the mechanical properties of bioactive glass-based scaffolds (of the 45S5 composition) fabricated by the foam replica technique was attempted by the combination with biopolymers. In particular, scaffolds were coated with the natural polymers collagen and zein. For the coating procedure with collagen, scaffolds were surface-functionalized, which was a necessary step for the covalent bonding of collagen to the bioactive glass surface. For the zein coating, scaffolds were dip-coated in a solution with 8 wt.% of zein. The collagen coating as well as the zein coating were further stabilized by chemically induced crosslinks. The microstructure and the homogeneity of the applied coatings were investigated by scanning electron microscopy (SEM). For the evaluation of the bioactivity, uncoated and polymer-coated scaffolds were immersed in simulated body fluid (SBF) for up to 14 days. The formation of hydroxyapatite was confirmed by SEM observation and Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR). Results showed no influence of the coating material on the bioactive behavior of the 45S5 bioactive glass-based scaffolds. The mechanical performance of the different scaffolds was investigated by compression strength tests. Compressive strength increased from 0.04 ± 0.02 MPa for uncoated scaffolds to 0.21 ± 0.03 MPa, and 0.18 ± 0.02 MPa for uncrosslinked and crosslinked collagen-coated samples, respectively. Zein-coating showed values of 0.21 ± 0.02 MPa and 0.19 ± 0.03 MPa for uncrosslinked and crosslinked samples, respectively. The enhancement of the mechanical performance of the different scaffolds was attributed to the polymeric infiltration of the microcracks present on the surface of the struts. The values of compression strength are still at the lower boundary for BTE applications but coated scaffolds were sufficiently robust to be handled safely which indicates that they can be used in clinical settings. The scaffolds exhibited the expected cell response when tested in vitro in contact with MG-63 cells. In addition, collagen- and zein-coated 45S5 bioactive glass-based scaffolds indicated an enhanced osteogenic differentiation behavior of ST-2 cells compared to uncoated samples. Altogether, the results of the present investigations showed that zein- and collagen-coated scaffolds have promising potential for the application in bone tissue engineering. Next to polymer-coated scaffolds, collagen and zein were also used for the fabrication of composites based on porous polymer matrices incorporating 45S5 bioactive glass particles as reinforcement. Primarily, this approach was applied to estimate the characteristics of collagen and zein as biomaterial. One the one hand, porous collagen sponges with and without bioactive glass incorporation were produced by lyophilization. In addition, salt leaching was employed to fabricate porous zein-based structures (with and without 45S5 bioactive glass). Even though collagen scaffolds exhibited high bioactivity and porosity of around 98 %, the mechanical properties were considered to be more relevant for soft tissue engineering applications. Zein scaffolds reinforced with bioactive glass exhibited compressive strength of 2.2 ± 0.9 MPa. In addition, the samples were bioactive with a porosity of around 84 %. The novel developed scaffolds provide a well-founded basis that warrants their further investigations in the field of bone tissue engineering. Composite scaffolds based on the combination of natural derived proteins and bioactive glass are therefore interesting candidates for BTE and the results of the present investigations should be expanded in future studies in relevant in vivo models.; Die vorliegende Arbeit beschreibt und erläutert die Entwicklung und Charakterisierung neuartiger Kompositmaterialien auf der Grundlage von bioaktivem Glas und natürlichen Polymeren, die im Knochen Tissue Engineering Anwendung finden sollen. Die steigende Nachfrage nach Möglichkeiten, beschädigtes Körpergewebe zu ersetzen, ist nicht nur auf die fortschreitende Alterung der Bevölkerung zurückzuführen, sondern liegt vor allem an der eingeschränkten Fähigkeit des Körpers verlorenes Gewebe eigenständig zu regenerieren. Vor allem der Ersatz von verlorener Knochensubstanz stellt für Mediziner immer wieder eine große Herausforderung dar. Heutzutage hat sich der Einsatz von autogenen oder allogenen Knochenimplantaten als Standard etabliert. Allerdings birgt die Anwendung auch viele Nachteile. Insbesondere die eingeschränkte Verfügbarkeit, die Möglichkeit von Infektionen oder auch auftretende Unverträglichkeiten müssen hierbei genannt werden. Ebenso spielen ethische Bedenken eine Rolle. Um diese Problematik umgehen zu können, konzentriert sich Knochen Tissue Engineering auf die Entwicklung sogenannter Scaffolds, die als Alternative für autogene bzw. allogene Knochentransplantate dienen können. Manche Scaffolds bestehen aus anorganischen synthetischen Materialien, z.B. Hydroxylapatit oder auch Bioglass®, wobei die Anwendung von bioaktivem Glas mehr und mehr Aufmerksamkeit auf sich zieht, da die Vorteile (u.a. Bioaktivität, Osteokonduktivität oder auch die angiogene Wirkung) für sich selbst sprechen. Allerdings ist das Einsatzgebiet von bioaktivem Glas in Form von Scaffolds aufgrund der niedrigen mechanischen Festigkeiten begrenzt, insbesondere in lasttragenden Bereichen. Demzufolge beschäftigt sich die Forschung mit der Entwicklung von Kompositmaterialien, um Eigenschaften unterschiedlicher Werkstoffgruppen zu vereinen. Das Ziel dieser Arbeit war unter anderem die Verbesserung der mechanischen Eigenschaften von bioaktivem Glas (mit der Zusammensetzung 45S5) basierten Scaffolds (die mit Hilfe der Schaumreplikationsmethode hergestellt wurden), indem diese mit Kollagen oder Zein beschichtet wurden. Für die Kollagenbeschichtung wurde die Oberfläche der Proben funktionalisiert, um Kollagen durch Peptidbindungen an die Oberfläche zu koppeln. Die Zeinschicht wurde durch einfache Tauchbeschichtung in eine Lösung mit 8 Gew.% Zein aufgetragen. Sowohl Kollagen wie auch Zein wurden des Weiteren durch chemisch induzierte Quervernetzungen stabilisiert. Neben der Mikrostruktur der Scaffolds und der Homogenität der Beschichtung, die mit Hilfe von Rasterelektronenmikroskopie (REM) untersucht wurden, spielt auch die Bioaktivität eine große Rolle. Um diese beurteilen zu können, wurden Studien durchgeführt, bei denen beschichtete und unbeschichtete Scaffolds bis zu 14 Tagen in simulierter Körperflüssigkeit (SBF) ausgelagert wurden. Die Abscheidung von Hydroxylapatit wurde sowohl durch REM Aufnahmen als auch durch Fourier-Transformations-Infrarot-Spektroskopie (FTIR) bestätigt. Es konnte gezeigt werden, dass die Bioaktivität durch die Beschichtung mit Kollagen oder Zein nicht beeinträchtigt wurde. Die mechanischen Festigkeiten der unterschiedlichen Proben wurden mittels Druckversuchen bestimmt. Die Ergebnisse zeigten eine leichte Erhöhung der Druckfestigkeit von 0.04 ± 0.02 MPa für unbeschichtete Scaffolds auf 0.21 ± 0.03 MPa (unvernetzt) und 0.18 ± 0.02 MPa (vernetzt) für kollagen-beschichtete Scaffolds. Zein-beschichtete Scaffolds zeigten Werte im Bereich von 0.21 ± 0.02 MPa (unvernetzt) und 0.19 ± 0.03 MPa (vernetzt). Die erhöhten Werte können hauptsächlich auf die Infiltration des jeweiligen Polymers in die Bruchstellen an der Oberfläche der einzelnen Scaffoldstege zurückgeführt werden. Die gemessenen Werte liegen an der unteren Grenze für die Anwendung im Knochen Tissue Engineering, zeigen aber trotzdem eine ausreichende Stabilität auf, um im klinischen Bereich handgehabt zu werden. Beschichtete Scaffolds zeigten in vitro nicht nur gute Ergebnisse bezüglich Zellvitalität (MG-63 Zellen) auf, sondern lassen auch eine verbesserte osteogene Differenzierung von ST-2 Zellen im Vergleich zu unbeschichteten Scaffolds vermuten. Die vorliegenden Ergebnisse von kollagen- und zeinbeschichteten Scaffolds liefern also vielversprechendes Potential für die Anwendung im Knochen Tissue Engineering.Neben Polymerbeschichtungen wurden Kollagen und Zein auch verwendet, um poröse Polymermatrizen herzustellen, die durch die Einlagerung von bioaktiven Glaspartikeln verstärkt werden sollten. In erster Linie diente dieser Ansatz der Charakterisierung von Kollagen und Zein als Biomaterial. Einerseits wurden poröse Kollagenschwämme durch das Verfahren der Gefriertrocknung hergestellt. Zusätzlich diente die Salzauslaugung dazu, poröse zeinbasierte Strukturen zu erschaffen (mit und ohne bioaktivem Glas). Obwohl Kollagenschwämmchen eine hohe Bioaktivität und Porosität um die 98 % aufwiesen, sind sie aufgrund ihrer geringen mechanischen Festigkeit wesentlich besser für Tissue Engineering von Weichgewebe geeignet. Hingegen zeigten Zeinscaffolds, die mit bioaktivem Glasteilchen verstärkt wurden, Druckfestigkeiten im Bereich von 2.2 ± 0.9 MPa auf, bei einer Porosität um die 84 %. Zusätzlich konnte auch bioaktives Verhalten nachgewiesen werden. Die Ergebnisse dieser neuartig entwickelten porösen Strukturen liefern daher eine fundierte Grundlage für weitere Forschungen auf diesem Gebiet. Kompositmaterialien basierend auf der Kombination von natürlichen Proteinen und bioaktivem Glas bieten interessante Möglichkeiten für zukünftige Anwendungen in der regenerativen Medizin. Zusätzlich rechtfertigen die hier gezeigten Ergebnisse weitere Studien in relevanten in vivo Modellen.
Keywords: Bioactive glass; scaffolds; bone tissue engineering; zein; collagen

Konzeption und Entwicklung von Biomaterialien auf Basis von mesoporösem Glas zum Einsatz im Bereich des Tissue Engineerings von Knochen mit integrierter Wirkstofffreisetzung - Philippart, Anahi (2016)
In order to overcome clinical challenges for bone tissue regeneration, current tissue engineering research focuses on developing highly performant biomaterials in terms of multifunctionality, i.e. materials that are capable of stimulating bone regeneration and exhibit drug delivery capabilities as well as sufficient mechanical stability. In the framework of this research topic, the work here presented focuses on the development of multifunctional mesoporous bioactive glasses (mBGs) and on the fabrication of mechanically competent 3D scaffolds from such mBGs.In a first step, three main compositions of mesoporous bioactive glasses, based on the sol-gel process in combination with the supramolecular chemistry of surfactants, were developed: (in mol%) 60%SiO2 30%CaO 5%P2O5 5%Na2O (MBG); 78%SiO2 20%CaO 1.2%P2O5 0.4%SrO 0.4%CuO (C) and 78%SiO2 20%CaO 1.2%P2O5 0.8%CoO (D). Two of these compositions incorporated known osteogenic and angiogenic metallic ions (Sr2+ and Cu2+ on the one hand and Co2+ on the other hand), whose aim was to increase the biological activity of the glasses. Highly ordered mesoporosity was achieved for compositions C and D, mainly confirmed by TEM and SAXRD. Their specific surface area was evaluated by BET and it was 254 m2/g for composition C and 346 m2/g for composition D, with average pore size of 3 nm and 3.6 nm respectively. However, a disordered mesoporous structure was observed for composition MBG and the specific surface area only reached 150 m2/g with average pore size of 7 nm. These new compositions exhibited fast bioactive behaviour in simulated body fluid by developing in their surface an apatite-like layer in less than 24 hours, characterised by FTIR spectroscopy and SEM analysis. The drug uptake and release capabilities of these compositions were tested and measured by UV-Vis for different active molecules (tetracycline, ibuprofen and resveratrol), in comparison to the base sol-gel composition SG (specific surface area by BET: 66 m²/g) and the well-known MCM-41 (specific surface area by BET: 1159 m²/g). In addition, indirect cell tests, performed with ST-2 cell line, revealed no cytotoxic effects after 24 h incubation. Furthermore, VEGF release over 24 hours was measured and it was found that VEGF release was enhanced in the presence of therapeutic ions (Sr2+, Cu2+ and Co2+).In a second step, highly porous (>90% porosity) 3D scaffolds with interconnected porosity were successfully produced by 3 variations of the foam replica technique (direct sol-gel, slurry and by electrophoretic deposition) and 3D printing. In order to increase the scaffolds compressive strength, a polymer infiltration approach was used. The compression strength of scaffolds was significantly increased, from 0.02 to 2.6 MPa, by applying a gelatin coating, without compromising the open and interconnected porosity of the scaffolds.Results obtained in this thesis suggest that mainly compositions C and D are promising mesoporous bioactive glasses to produce multifunctional biomaterials for bone regeneration applications, as they present synergistic effects by the release of both active molecules and therapeutic ions while being able to be processed as powders and 3D scaffolds.; Um die klinischen Herausforderungen für die Regeneration von Knochengeweben zu überwinden, setzt die aktuelle Forschung im Bereich des Tissue Engineerings auf die Entwicklung von leistungsstarken Biomaterialien. Das heisst, man sucht multifunktionale Werkstoffe, die die Knochenregeneration stimulieren, zur gezielten Arzneimittelabgabe fähig sind sowie gleichzeitig eine ausreichende mechanische Stabilität aufweisen um temporär die Funktion des Knochens zu ersetzen. Im Rahmen dieses globalen Forschungsziels konzentriert sich die vorliegende Arbeit auf die Entwicklung von mesoporösen bioaktiven Gläsern (mBGs) und auf die Herstellung von mechanisch stabilen, dreidimensionalen Gerüststruktur aus solchen mBGs.In einem ersten Schritt wurden drei Hauptzusammensetzungen mesoporöser bioaktiver Gläsern auf der Basis des Sol-Gel-Verfahrens in Kombination mit der Chemie oberflächenaktiver Stoffe entwickelt: (in mol%) 60%SiO2 30%CaO 5%P2O5 5%Na2O (MBG); 78%SiO2 20%CaO 1.2%P2O5 0.4%SrO 0.4%CuO (C) and 78%SiO2 20%CaO 1.2%P2O5 0.8%CoO (D). Zwei dieser Zusammensetzungen beinhalten bekannte osteogenen und angiogene Metallionen (Sr2+ and Cu2+ einerseits und Co2+ auf der anderen Seite), mit dem Ziel, die biologische Aktivität der Gläser zu erhöhen. Stark geordnete Mesoporosität wurde für die Zusammensetzungen C und D erreicht, was vor allem durch TEM und SAXRD bestätigt werden konnte. Die spezifischen Oberflächen der Biogläser wurde nach BET ausgewertet und es wurden 254 m2/g für die Zusammensetzung C und 346 m2/g für die Zusammensetzung D bei einer durchschnittlichen Porengröße bzw. von 3 nm und 3.6 nm gemessen. Für die für Zusammensetzung MBG allerdings wurde eine ungeordnete mesoporöse Struktur beobachtet, und die spezifische Oberfläche erreicht lediglich 150 m2/g bei einer durchschnittlichen Porengröße von 7 nm. Die untersuchten Materialzusammensetzungen zeigten bioaktives Verhalten bereits nach kurzer Zeit in simulierter Körperflüssigkeit. Nach weniger als 24 Stunden konnte die Entwicklung einer apatitartigen Schicht in ihrer Oberfläche durch FTIR-Spektroskopie und SEM-Analyse nachgewiesen werden. Die Fähigkeit zur Arzneimittelaufnahme und -abgabe dieser Zusammensetzungen wurden für verschiedene aktive Moleküle (Tetracyclin, Ibuprofen und Resveratrol) im Vergleich zur Basis Sol-Gel-Zusammensetzung SG (spezifische Oberfläche nach BET: 66 m2/g) und der bekannten MCM-41 Zusammensetzung (spezifische Oberfläche nach BET: 1159 m2/g) getestet und quantitativ durch UV-Vis Spektroskopie vermessen. Darüber hinaus ergaben indirekte Zelltests, durchgeführt mit der ST-2-Zelllinie, keine zytotoxischen Effekte nach 24 h Inkubation. Die Freisetzung von VEGF über 24 Stunden wurde gemessen und es wurde festgestellt, dass die Abgabe von VEGF in Gegenwart von therapeutischen Ionen verstärkt wurde (Sr2+, Cu2+ und Co2+).In einem zweiten Schritt wurden hochporöse (> 90% Porosität) offene 3D-Gerüststrukturen durch 3 Varianten der Schaum-Replikatechnik (direktes Sol-Gel-Verfahren, Aufschlämmungsverfahren und durch elektrophoretische Abscheidung) sowie additive Fertigungsverfahren erfolgreich hergestellt. Um die Druckfestigkeit der Gerüststrukturen Druckfestigkeit zu verbessern wurde ein Ansatz der auf Basis der Infiltration von Polymeren verwendet. Die Kompressionsfestigkeit der Strukturen konnte durch ein Beschichtungsverfahren mit Gelatinlösung deutlich erhöht werden, von 0.02 auf bis zu 2.6 MPa, ohne dass die offene und miteinander verbundene Porosität der Gerüste beeinträchtigt wurde.Die Ergebnisse dieser Arbeit deuten darauf hin, dass vor allem die Zusammensetzungen C und D sehr vielversprechende mesoporöse bioaktive Gläser darstellen um multifunktionale Biomaterialien für Anwendungen im Bereich Knochenregeneration herzustellen. Sie bieten synergetische Effekte durch die Freisetzung von aktiven Molekülen und therapeutischen Ionen und ermöglichen ein breiten Anwendungsspektrum, da diese in Pulverform sowie als dreidimensionale Gerüststruktur verarbeitet werden können.
Keywords: glass; mesoporous; bioactive; drug release; scaffolds; bone regeneration

Large-scale production and efficient recovery of PHB with desirable material properties, from the newly characterised Bacillus cereus SPV - Boccaccini, Aldo R.; et al. (Journal of Biotechnology, 2007)
A newly characterised Bacillus strain, Bacillus cereus SPV was found to produce PHB at a concentration of 38% of its dry cell weight in shaken flask cultures, using glucose as the main carbon source. Polymer production was then scaled up to 20 L batch fermentations where 29% dry cell weight of PHB was obtained within 48 h. Following this, a simple glucose feeding strategy was developed and the cells accumulated 38% dry cell weight of PHB, an increase in the overall volumetric yield by 31% compared to the batch fermentation. Sporulation is the cause of low PHB productivity from the genus Bacillus [Wu, Q., Huang, H., Hu, G.H., Chen, J., Ho, K.P., Chen, G.Q., 2001. Production of poly-3-hydroxybutyrate by Bacillus sp. JMa5 cultivated in molasses media. Antonie van Leeuwenhoek 80, 111-118]. However, in this study, acidic pH conditions (4.5-5.8) completely suppress sporulation, in accordance with Kominek and Halvorson [Kominek, L.A., Halvorson, H.O., 1965. Metabolism of poly-β-hydroxybutyrate and acetoin in Bacillus cereus. J. Bacteriol. 90, 1251-1259], and result in an increase in the yield of PHB production. This observation emphasises the potential of the use of Bacillus in the commercial production of PHB and other PHAs. The recovery of the PHB produced was optimised and the isolated polymer characterised to identify its material properties. The polymer extracted, was found to have similar molecular weight, polydispersity index and lower crystallinity index than others reported in literature. Also, the extracted polymer was found to have desirable material properties for potential tissue engineering applications. © 2007 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.
UnivIS-Import:2015-03-09:Pub.2007.tech.IW.LM.larges
Keywords: Bacillus cereus SPV; Crystallinity index; Fermentation; Polydispersity index; Polyhydroxybutyrate; Polymer extraction

Layered scaffolds for periodontal regeneration - Goudouri, Ourania Menti; Kontonasaki, Eleana; Boccaccini, Aldo R. (Biomaterials for Oral and Dental Tissue Engineering, 2017)
Periodontitis is one of the most common diseases in humans, affecting in its most severe form, approximately 10-15% of the population. To date the treatment of alveolus defects relies on the use of autologous bone grafts, which however carries along several limitations and donor site complication risks. Bilayered scaffolds have been proposed as a viable alternative to autologous bone in the regeneration of the periodontium. The techniques used for the construction of the scaffolds as well as their potential in regenerating periodontal tissues in vitro and in vivo are discussed in this chapter.
CRIS-Team Scopus Importer:2022-08-05
Keywords: Alveolar defects; Bilayered scaffolds; Biological evaluation

Light-based and cost-effective bioprinting of musculoskeletal GelMA constructs enriched with mesoporous bioactive glass nanoparticles - Sánchez-Rodríguez, Víctor Hugo; Pérez-Cortez, Juan Enrique; Gallegos-Martínez, Salvador; Chuck-Hernández, Cristina; Rodriguez, Ciro A.; Boccaccini, Aldo R.; Vázquez-Lepe, Elisa; Alvarez, Mario Moisés; Santiago, Grissel Trujillo de; Martínez-López, José Israel (International Journal of Bioprinting, 2024)
Bioprinting represents a promising technique for fabricating three-dimensional (3D) constructs with high-resolution and controlled architecture. However, many bioprinting technologies rely on expensive extrusion systems, which may compromise cell viability due to harsh processing conditions. This study presents the fabrication and characterization of musculoskeletal tissue in gelatin methacryloyl [GelMA]-based nanocomposite 3D constructs (comprising GelMA and mesoporous bioactive glass nanoparticles [MBGNs]) using a cost-effective, light-based bioprinting (LBB) system. We demonstrated that our strategy can produce high-resolution constructs (approximately 250 µm) while maintaining high cell viabilities (above 85%) for extended periods (weeks of culture). Furthermore, the nanocomposite constructs could facilitate the maturation of musculoskeletal tissue derived from C2C12 cells, as indicated by assessments of cell viability, elongation, and alignment over time. Our results suggested that the bioprinting approach outlined in this study allows for precise control of architecture, while creating a conducive environment for cell growth and tissue formation. These findings also highlighted the potential of the proposed LBB system to advance musculoskeletal tissue engineering for regenerative medicine applications.
CRIS-Team Scopus Importer:2024-09-13
Keywords: Bioactive glass; Bioprinting; GelMA; Light-based bioprinting; Mesoporous bioactive glass nanoparticles; Musculoskeletal tissue

Lithium-containing 45S5 Bioglass-derived glass-ceramics have antioxidant activity and induce new bone formation in a rat preclinical model of type 1 diabetes mellitus - Gomez Gramajo, Fátima; Rivoira, María A.; Rodríguez, Valeria; Vargas, Gabriela; Vera Mesones, Rosa; Zago, María P.; Boccaccini, Aldo R.; Gorustovich, Alejandro (Biomedical Materials, 2024)
Diabetes mellitus (DM) has been associated with complications that affect the skeletal system, such as alterations in bone repair, osteoporosis, and an increased risk of fractures. In this context, the use of biomaterials able to promote osteogenic differentiation and, at the same time, limit the oxidative stress induced by DM offers a novel perspective to ensure the repair of diabetic bone tissue. Since lithium (Li) has been recently identified as a biologically active ion with osteogenic and antioxidant properties, the localized and controlled release of Li ions from bioactive glass-ceramic materials represents a promising therapeutic alternative for the treatment of bone lesions in DM. Thus, the aim of this study was to evaluate the potential osteogenic and antioxidant effects of glass-ceramic microparticles derived from a 45S5-type bioactive glass (Bioglass) containing (% by weight) 45% SiO2, 24.5% Na2O, 24.5% CaO, and 6% P2O5, in which Na2O was partially substituted by 5% of Li2O (45S5.5Li), in an experimental model of type 1 DM (DM1). The results obtained demonstrate, for the first time, that both 45S5 and 45S5.5Li glass-ceramic microparticles possess antioxidant activity and stimulate bone formationin vivoboth under physiological conditions and under experimental DM1 in rats. In this sense, they would have potential application as inorganic osteogenic agents in different strategies of bone tissue regenerative medicine.
CRIS-Team Scopus Importer:2025-02-04
Keywords: antioxidant activity; bioactive glass-ceramics; bone repair; diabetes mellitus

Lithium-containing bioactive glasses for bone regeneration - Durand, Luis A.Haro; Vargas, Gabriela E.; Gomez-Gramajo, Fátima; Vera-Mesones, Rosa; Miguez-Pacheco, Valentina; Boccaccini, Aldo R.; Gorustovich, Alejandro (Elsevier, 2018)
Since lithium (Li+) plays roles in angiogenesis and osteogenesis, the localized and controlled release of Li+ ions from bioactive glasses (BGs) represents a promising alternative therapy for bone regeneration. This chapter will review recent advances in the development of Li-containing BGs and their in vitro and in vivo angiogenic and osteogenic potential. Current issues and future directions for the use of these BGs for regenerative medicine of bone tissue are discussed.
CRIS-Team Scopus Importer:2022-08-05
Keywords: Angiogenesis; Bioactive glass; Bone; Lithium; Regenerative medicine

Lithography-Based Additive Manufacturing of Cellular Ceramic Structures - Felzmann, Ruth; Gruber, Simon; Mitteramskogler, Gerald; Tesavibul, Passakorn; Boccaccini, Aldo R.; Liska, Robert; Stampfl, Juergen (Advanced Engineering Materials, 2013)
UnivIS-Import:2015-03-09:Pub.2013.tech.IW.LM.lithog

Lithography-based additive manufacturing of customized bioceramic parts for medical applications - Felzmann, Ruth; Gruber, Simon; Mitteramskogler, Gerald; Pastrama, Maria; Boccaccini, Aldo R.; Stampfl, Jürgen (Proceedings of the IASTED International Conference on Biomedical Engineering, BioMed 2013, 2013)
In the current study, materials and systems for the fabrication of customized bioceramic parts by using lithography-based additive manufacturing techniques (AMT) are presented. By using this modified system based on digital mirror devices, which relies on a selectively polymerization of a photosensitive ceramic filled resin, structures with a resolution of 40 um can be generated. By modifying the working DLP-system (Digital Light Processing) a resolution of 25 um could be reached. The building volume ranges from 77 × 43 × 115 mm to 115 × 65 × 160 mm, depending on the used optics. Photocurable ceramic suspensions with a high solid loading of ceramic powders can be processed. Depending on the ceramic powder and the field of application, delicate bioceramic parts with coordinated properties made of alumina, tricalcium phosphate (TCP) or bioactive glass were fabricated and characterized.
CRIS-Team Scopus Importer:2022-08-05
Keywords: Biomaterials; Ceramic filler; Complex geometries; Digital light processing; Photopolymerization

Long-term in vitro degradation of PDLLA/Bioglass bone scaffolds in acellular simulated body fluid - Boccaccini, Aldo R.; et al. (Acta Biomaterialia, 2010)
UnivIS-Import:2015-03-09:Pub.2010.tech.IW.LM.longte

Long-term stimulation with alternating electric fields modulates the differentiation and mineralization of human pre-osteoblasts - Sahm, Franziska; Freiin Grote, Vivica; Zimmermann, Julius; Haack, Fiete; Uhrmacher, Adelinde M.; van Rienen, Ursula; Bader, Rainer; Detsch, Rainer; Jonitz-Heincke, Anika (Frontiers in Physiology, 2022)
Biophysical stimulation by electric fields can promote bone formation in bone defects of critical size. Even though, long-term effects of alternating electric fields on the differentiation of osteoblasts are not fully understood. Human pre-osteoblasts were stimulated over 31 days to gain more information about these cellular processes. An alternating electric field with 0.7 Vrms and 20 Hz at two distances was applied and viability, mineralization, gene expression, and protein release of differentiation factors were analyzed. The viability was enhanced during the first days of stimulation. A higher electric field resulted in upregulation of typical osteogenic markers like osteoprotegerin, osteopontin, and interleukin-6, but no significant changes in mineralization. Upregulation of the osteogenic markers could be detected with a lower electric field after the first days of stimulation. As a significant increase in the mineralized matrix was identified, an enhanced osteogenesis due to low alternating electric fields can be assumed.
CRIS-Team Scopus Importer:2022-10-28
Keywords: alternating fields; bone remodeling; differentiation; electric stimulation; long-term stimulation; pre-osteoblasts

Long-term water immersion of dental composites based on bioactive glass - Gajski, Petra; Par, Matej; Haugen, Håvard J.; Hildebrand, Torben; Zheng, Kai; Boccaccini, Aldo R.; Tarle, Zrinka; Marovic, Danijela (Scientific Reports, 2025)
This study investigated the effect of copper-doped mesoporous bioactive glass nanospheres (Cu-MBGN) on water sorption, solubility and porosity of an experimental dental composite over 180 days of water immersion, comparing it to bioactive glass 45S5 (BG) or inert fillers. Composites contained 35wt% Bis-GMA/TEGDMA resin (60/40), 55wt% silanised barium-glass fillers, and 10wt% of either Cu-MBGN (10-CuBG), 45S5 bioactive glass (10-BG), or inert silica nanofillers (10-Si). Both BG composites showed a higher mass increase during water immersion than inert control (10-Si) at all measured time points (p < 0.001), ranked as 10-BG > 10-CuBG > 10-Si. After 30 days, 10-BG had the greatest mass increase (4.02 ± 0.21%), followed by a decline until 180 days, while 10-CuBG (1.67 ± 0.10%) and 10-Si (1.19 ± 0.07%) showed gradual mass increases until the end of the measurement. 10-BG displayed higher water sorption and solubility than other materials, while 10-CuBG had the highest porosity parameters. While 10-BG and 10-Si showed significant increases in both total and open porosity after water immersion, no such changes were observed for 10-CuBG. The pore characteristics of dry specimens did not affect final water sorption and solubility after 180 days of water immersion. The Cu-MBGN composite had a lower mass increase than commercial BG and met ISO 4049 standards for both water sorption and solubility.
CRIS-Team Scopus Importer:2025-06-06
Keywords: Bioactive glass; Dental materials; Experimental resin composites; Porosity; Solubility; Water sorption

Low temperature spark plasma sintering of 45S5 Bioglass® - Grasso, Salvatore; Chinnam, Rama Krishna Satish; Porwal, Harshit; Boccaccini, Aldo R.; Reece, Michael J. (Journal of Non-Crystalline Solids, 2013)
45S5 Bioglass® powder has been densified at low temperatures using Spark Plasma Sintering (SPS). By employing SPS with pressures ranging from 70 to 300 MPa, it was possible to achieve fully dense and completely amorphous 45S5 Bioglass® samples at temperatures as low as 500-550 C. By increasing the sintering temperature up to 600 C the dense samples crystallized to Na 2CaSi2O6 phase rather than Na 2Ca2Si3O9 which is usually achieved at higher temperature. Acellular in vitro test results in Simulated Body Fluid (SBF) revealed that SPSed samples sintered at 600 C resulted in faster formation of hydroxyapatite compared to pressureless sintered ones (1050 C), which were highly crystallized. Amorphous Bioglass® and/or Na2CaSi 2O6 phase prepared by SPS could potentially produce Bioglass® composites with increased bioactivity. © 2012 Elsevier B.V.
UnivIS-Import:2015-03-09:Pub.2013.tech.IW.LM.lowtem
Keywords: 45S5®; amorphous; in vitro bioactivity; SPS

Macro-mesoporous composites containing PEEK and mesoporous diopside as bone implants: Characterization, in vitro mineralization, cytocompatibility, and vascularization potential and osteogenesis in vivo - Cai, Liang; Pan, Yongkang; Tang, Songchao; Li, Quan; Tang, Tingting; Zheng, Kai; Boccaccini, Aldo R.; Wei, Shicheng; Wei, Jie; Su, Jiacan (Journal of Materials Chemistry B, 2017)

Macromolecular interactions in alginate-gelatin hydrogels regulate the behavior of human fibroblasts - Sarker, Bapi; Singh, Raminder; Zehnder, Tobias; Forgber, Tim; Alexiou, Christoph; Cicha, Iwona; Detsch, Rainer; Boccaccini, Aldo R. (Journal of Bioactive and Compatible Polymers, 2017)
Keywords: alginate; fibroblast; gelatin; Hydrogels; tissue engineering

Magnesium-Containing Bioactive Glasses for Biomedical Applications - Diba, Mani; Tapia, Felipe; Boccaccini, Aldo R.; Strobel, Leonie (International Journal of Applied Glass Science, 2012)
The importance of Mg in the human body, its key role in bone tissue development, in addition to its application to improve and modify physical, thermal, and mechanical properties of bioactive silicate glasses, make Mg a very interesting element as a component of bioactive glasses for medical applications. Although Mg is a typical element in the composition of numerous developed bioactive glasses, the analysis of the literature reveals that further research is required to gain comprehensive understanding about the effects of MgO on bioactive glass structure and properties. This article presents a comprehensive overview of the field of Mg-containing bioactive glasses discussing available compositions and summarizing existing knowledge on effects of MgO on glass properties. The biomedical applications of several developed glasses are discussed highlighting the distinct effects of Mg in relevant areas, such as bioactivity and cell response, and focusing on the most common applications for these glasses, such as bone cements, bioactive coatings, and scaffolds for bone tissue engineering. The effect of Mg on bone development is discussed and avenues for future research in the field are proposed, emphasizing the need to investigate unstudied properties of (already developed) Mg-containing glass compositions, such as angiogenesis-stimulating action and the effect on osteoclast functions, to develop new Mg-containing bioactive glasses as well as to make products of different shape designs such as nanoparticles, fibers, and complex porous structures. © 2012 The American Ceramic Society and Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
UnivIS-Import:2015-03-09:Pub.2012.tech.IW.LM.magnes

Magnesium-containing bioactive polycrystalline silicate-based ceramics and glass-ceramics for biomedical applications - Diba, Mani; Goudouri, Ourania Menti; Tapia, Felipe; Boccaccini, Aldo R. (Current Opinion in Solid State & Materials Science, 2014)
With improvement of orthopaedic technologies for bone replacement and regeneration, there is an increasing need for materials with superior properties. Mg-containing silicate ceramics and glass-ceramics have been shown to be bioactive and exhibit various advantages for biomedical applications. This review paper is intended to summarize and discuss the most relevant studies carried out in the field of Mg-containing bioactive silicate ceramics and glass-ceramics. © 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.
Keywords: Bioactive materials; Ceramics; Glass-ceramics; Magnesium; Silicate

Magnetic 3D scaffolds for tissue engineering applications: bioactive glass (45S5) coated with iron-loaded hydroxyapatite nanoparticles - Dittler, Maria Laura; Zelis, Pedro Mendoza; Beltran, Ana M.; Destch, Rainer; Grillo, Claudia A.; Gonzalez, Monica C.; Boccaccini, Aldo R. (Biomedical Materials, 2021)
Magnetic 45S5 bioactive glass (BG) based scaffolds covered with iron-loaded hydroxyapatite (Fe-HA-BG) nanoparticles were obtained and its cytotoxicity investigated. Fe-HA nanoparticles were synthesized by a wet chemical method involving the simultaneous addition of Fe2+/Fe3+ ions. BG based scaffolds were prepared by the foam replica procedure and covered with Fe-HA by dip-coating. Fe-HA-BG magnetic saturation values of 0.049 emu g(-1) and a very low remanent magnetization of 0.01 emu g(-1) were observed. The mineralization assay in simulated body fluid following Kokubo's protocol indicated that Fe-HA-BG scaffolds exhibited improved hydroxyapatite formation in comparison to uncoated scaffolds at shorter immersion times. The biocompatibility of the material in vitro was assessed using human osteoblast-like MG-63 cell cultures and mouse bone marrow-derived stroma cell line ST-2. Overall, the results herein discussed suggest that magnetic Fe-HA coatings seem to enhance the biological performance of 45S5 BG based scaffolds. Thus, this magnetic Fe-HA coated scaffold is an interesting system for bone tissue engineering applications and warrant further investigation.
CRIS-Team WoS Importer:2021-08-06

Magnetic glass ceramics by sintering of borosilicate glass and inorganic waste - Ponsot, Ines M. M. M.; Pontikes, Yiannis; Baldi, Giovanni; Chinnam, Rama Krishna Satish; Detsch, Rainer; Boccaccini, Aldo R.; Bernardo, Enrico (Materials, 2014)
Ceramics and glass ceramics based on industrial waste have been widely recognized as competitive products for building applications; however, there is a great potential for such materials with novel functionalities. In this paper, we discuss the development of magnetic sintered glass ceramics based on two iron-rich slags, coming from non-ferrous metallurgy and recycled borosilicate glass. The substantial viscous flow of the glass led to dense products for rapid treatments at relatively low temperatures (900-1000 °C), whereas glass/slag interactions resulted in the formation of magnetite crystals, providing ferrimagnetism. Such behavior could be exploited for applying the obtained glass ceramics as induction heating plates, according to preliminary tests (showing the rapid heating of selected samples, even above 200 °C). The chemical durability and safety of the obtained glass ceramics were assessed by both leaching tests and cytotoxicity tests. © 2014 by the authors.
Keywords: Borosilicate glass; Cytotoxicity tests; Induction heating; Iron-rich slags; Magnetic glass ceramics; Viscous flow sintering

Magnetic resonance imaging evaluation of remodeling by cardiac elastomeric tissue scaffold biomaterials in a rat model of myocardial infarction - Boccaccini, Aldo R.; et al. (Tissue Engineering - Part A, 2010)

Manganese–cobalt based spinel coatings processed by electrophoretic deposition method: The influence of sintering on degradation issues of solid oxide cell oxygen electrodes at 750◦c - Zanchi, Elisa; Ignaczak, Justyna; Kamecki, Bartosz; Jasinski, Piotr; Molin, Sebastian; Boccaccini, Aldo R.; Smeacetto, Federico (Materials, 2021)
This paper seeks to examine how the Mn–Co spinel interconnect coating microstructure can influence Cr contamination in an oxygen electrode of intermediate temperature solid oxide cells, at an operating temperature of 750◦C. A Mn–Co spinel coating is processed on Crofer 22 APU substrates by electrophoretic deposition, and subsequently sintered, following both the one-step and two-step sintering, in order to obtain significantly different densification levels. The electrochemical characterization is performed on anode-supported cells with an LSCF cathode. The cells were aged prior to the electrochemical characterization in contact with the spinel-coated Crofer 22 APU at 750◦C for 250 h. Current–voltage and impedance spectra of the cells were measured after the exposure with the interconnect. Post-mortem analysis of the interconnect and the cell was carried out, in order to assess the Cr retention capability of coatings with different microstructures.
CRIS-Team Scopus Importer:2021-07-30
Keywords: Chromium poisoning; Electrophoretic deposition; Manganese–cobalt spinel; Solid oxide cell

Manuka honey and bioactive glass impart methylcellulose foams with antibacterial effects for wound-healing applications - Schuhladen, Katharina; Mukoo, Pratishtha; Liverani, Liliana; Nescakova, Zuzana; Boccaccini, Aldo R. (Biomedical Materials, 2020)
Wound dressings able to deliver topically bioactive molecules represent a new generation of wound-regeneration therapies. In this article, foams based on methylcellulose cross-linked with Manuka honey were used as a platform to deliver borate bioactive glass particles doped additionally with copper. Borate bioactive glasses are of great interest in wound-healing applications due to a combination of favorable features, such as angiogenic and antibacterial properties. The multifunctional composite providing the dual effect of the bioactive glass and Manuka honey was produced by freeze-drying, and the resulting foams exhibit suitable morphology characterized by high porosity. Moreover, the performed tests showed improved wettability and mechanical performance with the addition of bioactive glass particles. Dissolution studies using simulated body fluid and cell biology tests using relevant skin cells further proved the excellent bioactivity and positive effects of the foams on cell proliferation and migration. Most interestingly, by the dual release of Manuka honey and ions from the copper-doped bioactive glass, an antibacterial effect againstE. coliandS. aureuswas achieved. Therefore, the multifunctional foams showed promising outcomes as potential wound dressings for the treatment of infected wounds.
CRIS-Team WoS Importer:2020-10-16

Manuka Honey and Zein Coatings Impart Bioactive Glass Bone Tissue Scaffolds Antibacterial Properties and Superior Mechanical Properties - Arango Ospina, Marcela; Lasch, Kristina; Weidinger, Julius; Boccaccini, Aldo R. (Frontiers in Materials, 2021)
The combination of traditional herbal medicine (phytotherapeutic agents) with bioactive glasses is a promising strategy to generate advanced scaffolds for bone tissue engineering (BTE). An old remedy used for wound care since ancient times is honey. The antioxidant, antimicrobial and antibacterial properties of Manuka honey, in particular, make it an attractive substance for application in BTE scaffolds to prevent infections and biofilm formation. In this study 45S5 bioactive glass-based scaffolds produced via the foam replica technique were coated with corn protein zein and Manuka honey with two purposes: to improve the mechanical properties of the brittle scaffolds and to impart antibacterial properties. The morphology and chemical composition of the coated scaffolds were characterized with scanning electron microscopy and Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, respectively, demonstrating the presence of Manuka honey in the coating. The release of the honey was quantified via ultraviolet-visible spectrophotometry; moreover, the antibacterial activity against Staphylococcus aureus was evaluated via colony-forming units counting, reduction of Alamar blue and turbidity measurements. Our findings suggest the effective combination of Manuka honey and bioactive glass, adding one more system to the novel family of bioactive glass scaffolds functionalized with phytotherapeutic agents.
CRIS-Team WoS Importer:2021-03-05

Mapping the elemental and crystalline phase distribution in Cu2+ doped 45S5 bioactive glass upon crystallization - Nawaz, Qaisar; De Pablos-Martin, Araceli; Berthold, Lutz; De Souza E Silva, Juliana Martins; Hurle, Katrin; Boccaccini, Aldo R. (CrystEngComm, 2021)
Bioactive glasses (BGs) incorporating metallic ions to impart antibacterial activity and stimulation of osteogenesis and angiogenesis are promising candidates for bone tissue engineering. Silicate BGs of the 45S5 composition (45 SiO2, 24.5 Na2O, 24.5 CaO, 6 P2O5, (wt%)) crystallize readily during the high temperature processing of porous scaffolds. The crystallization slightly suppresses the bioactivity and dissolution of the glass. Structural changes during the high-temperature processing of metal ion-doped 45S5 BGs are challenging since metal ions may affect the formation of crystalline phases during thermal treatment. In this study, we investigated the effect of Cu on structural changes during the sintering of Cu doped 45S5 BG (Cu-45S5). The Cu-45S5 BG was sintered at 900 degrees C and 1050 degrees C for 1 hour, and the resultant microstructures were investigated using X-ray diffraction (XRD) analysis, transmission electron microscopy (TEM), including elemental distribution mappings from energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDXS), and X-ray nano-computed tomography (nano-CT). XRD patterns of thermally treated samples indicate the formation of combeite and rhenanite as crystalline phases. Besides the crystalline fraction, a residual glassy phase is also present, which is enriched with Na and P ions. The results reveal that the crystallinity of Cu-45S5 glass-ceramics can be adjusted over a range of 70-78% by applying appropriate heat treatment profiles. Moreover, the size of the crystals increases with increasing temperature under the investigated conditions. Cu is found to be localized in the residual glassy phase, together with Si and Na, which has an effect on the release of Cu ions in physiological environments.
CRIS-Team WoS Importer:2021-12-10

Materials for healthcare applications symposium, EUROMAT 2011 (Montpellier, France, 12-15 September 2011) - Boccaccini, Aldo R.; Mano, Joao F.; Del Campo, Aranzazu; Verne, Enrica (Biomedical Materials (Bristol), 2012)

Matrix Assisted Pulsed Laser Evaporation (MAPLE) of Poly(D,L lactide) (PDLLA) on Three Dimensional Bioglass (R) Structures - Califano, Valeria; Bloisi, Francesco; Vicari, Luciano R. M.; Yunos, Darmawati M.; Chatzistavrou, Xanthipi; Boccaccini, Aldo R. (Advanced Engineering Materials, 2009)
UnivIS-Import:2015-03-09:Pub.2009.tech.IW.LM.matrix

Matrix-assisted pulsed laser evaporation of poly(D,L-lactide) for biomedical applications: effect of near infrared radiation - Califano, Valeria; Bloisi, Francesco; Vicari, Luciano R. M.; Bretcanu, Oana; Boccaccini, Aldo R. (Journal of Biomedical Optics, 2008)
The deposition of thin films of poly(D,L-lactide) (PDLLA) by using the matrix-assisted pulsed laser evaporation (MAPLE) technique is investigated. PDLLA is a highly biocompatible and biodegradable polymer, with wide applicability in the biomedical field. The laser wavelength used in the MAPLE process is optimized to obtain a good-quality deposition. The structure of the polymer film is analyzed by Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR). It is found that the chemical structure of PDLLA undergoes little or no damage during deposition with near-infrared laser radiation (1064nm). It is thus confirmed that at this wavelength, the MAPLE technique can be applied for fragile biopolymer molecules, which are easily damaged by other laser radiations (UV radiation). This method allows future development of tailored polymer coatings for biomedical applications. © 2008 Society of Photo-Optical Instrumentation Engineers.
UnivIS-Import:2015-03-09:Pub.2008.tech.IW.LM.matrix
Keywords: biopolymers; coatings; matrix-assisted pulsed laser evaporation; poly(D; L-lactide); thin films

Mechanical improvement of calcium carbonate cements by: In situ HEMA polymerization during hardening - Myszka, Barbara; Hurle, Katrin; Zheng, Kai; Wolf, Stephan; Boccaccini, Aldo R. (Journal of Materials Chemistry B, 2019)
Calcium carbonate cements are a promising alternative for calcium phosphate cements. Due to the higher solubility of calcium carbonate compared to apatite, it is expected to have an improved biodegradation rate; a clear advantage for prospective biomedical applications in a clinical context. As of yet, the poor mechanical performance of calcium carbonate cements precludes their exploitation as a bioceramic. Herein, we report a mechanically enhanced calcium carbonate cement, formulated of vaterite and magnesium-doped amorphous calcium carbonate, which was strengthened by in situ polymerization of incorporated 2-hydroxyethylmethacrylate (HEMA) during setting in simulated body fluid (SBF). This approach allowed us to generate a pronouncedly strengthened polymer-ceramic composite whose mechanical properties can be tuned by the monomer fraction. Varying cement compositions were characterized with respect to their mechanical performance, morphology, and quantitative phase composition. HEMA polymer reinforcement strengthened the calcium carbonate cement distinctly in four-point bending test while, in stark contrast, the brittleness of the polymer-free cement simply made such tests impossible. Our results demonstrate that the chosen polymer-enforcement strategy is an efficient and straightforward approach and allows for tuning the mechanical properties of an otherwise brittle and thus unusable calcium carbonate cement towards biomedical application.
CRIS-Team Scopus Importer:2019-06-25

Mechanical properties and drug release behavior of PCL/zein coated 45S5 bioactive glass scaffolds for bone tissue engineering application - Fereshteh, Zeinab; Nooeaid, Patcharakamon; Fathi, Mohammadhossein; Bagri, Akbar; Boccaccini, Aldo R. (Data in Brief, 2015)
This article presents data related to the research article entitled "The effect of coating type on mechanical properties and controlled drug release of PCL/zein coated 45S5 bioactive glass scaffolds for bone tissue engineering" [1]. We provide data on mechanical properties, in vitro bioactivity and drug release of bioactive glass (BG) scaffolds coated by poly (. ε-caprolactone) (PCL) and zein used as a controlled release device for tetracycline hydrochloride (TCH). By coating the BG scaffolds with PCL or PCL/zein blend the mechanical properties of the scaffolds were substantially improved, i.e., the compressive strength increased from 0.004±0.001. MPa (uncoated BG scaffolds) to 0.15±0.02. MPa (PCL/zein coated BG scaffolds). A dense bone-like apatite layer formed on the surface of PCL/zein coated scaffolds immersed for 14 days in simulated body fluid (SBF). The data describe control of drug release and in vitro degradation behavior of coating by engineering the concentration of zein. Thus, the developed scaffolds exhibit attractive properties for application in bone tissue engineering research.
Keywords: Bioactive glass; Drug delivery; Mechanical properties; PCL/zein coating; Scaffolds

Mechanical properties of cell- and microgel bead-laden oxidized alginate-gelatin hydrogels - Distler, Thomas; Kretzschmar, Lena; Schneidereit, Dominik; Girardo, Salvatore; Goswami, Ruchi; Friedrich, Oliver; Detsch, Rainer; Guck, Jochen; Boccaccini, Aldo R.; Budday, Silvia (Biomaterials Science, 2021)
3D-printing technologies, such as biofabrication, capitalize on the homogeneous distribution and growth of cells inside biomaterial hydrogels, ultimately aiming to allow for cell differentiation, matrix remodeling, and functional tissue analogues. However, commonly, only the mechanical properties of the bioinks or matrix materials are assessed, while the detailed influence of cells on the resulting mechanical properties of hydro- gels remains insufficiently understood. Here, we investigate the properties of hydrogels containing cells and spherical PAAm microgel beads through multi-modal complex mechanical analyses in the small- and large- strain regimes. We evaluate the individual contributions of different filler concentrations and a non-fibrous oxi- dized alginate-gelatin hydrogel matrix on the overall mechanical behavior in compression, tension, and shear. Through material modeling, we quantify parameters that describe the highly nonlinear mechanical response of soft composite materials. Our results show that the stiffness significantly drops for cell- and bead concen- trations exceeding four million per milliliter hydrogel. In addition, hydrogels with high cell concentrations (≥6 mio ml−1) show more pronounced material nonlinearity for larger strains and faster stress relaxation. Our findings highlight cell concentration as a crucial parameter influencing the final hydrogel mechanics, with implications for microgel bead drug carrier-laden hydrogels, biofabrication, and tissue engineering.

Mechanical Properties of Low-Density SiC-Coated Carbon-Bonded Carbon Fiber Composites - Boccaccini, Aldo R.; et al. (International Journal of Applied Ceramic Technology, 2011)
UnivIS-Import:2015-03-09:Pub.2011.tech.IW.LM.mechan

Mechanical reinforcement of Bioglass®-based scaffolds by novel polyvinyl-alcohol/microfibrillated cellulose composite coating - Bertolla, L.; Dlouhy, Ivo; Philippart, Anahi; Boccaccini, Aldo R. (Materials Letters, 2014)
The preparation and mechanical properties of Bioglass-based porous scaffolds reinforced by a composite coating constituted by polyvinyl alcohol (PVA) and microfibrillated cellulose (MFC) are investigated. Samples produced by foam replication process and having nominally 90% of open porosity were coated by dipping into an aqueous solution of PVA and MFC. Tensile tests were conducted on samples according to a new testing methodology optimized for highly porous ceramics. The addition of PVA/MFC coating led to a 10 fold increase of the tensile strength of scaffolds. The reinforcing and toughening effect of the composite coating due to crack bridging and fracture of cellulose fibrils embedded in the PVA matrix was proved by SEM observations. © 2013 Elsevier B.V.
Keywords: Bioactive glass; Cellulose; Coatings; Mechanical properties; Scaffolds

Medium chain length polyhydroxyalkanoates, promising new biomedical materials for the future - Rai, Ranjana; Keshavarz, T.; Roether, J. A.; Boccaccini, Aldo R.; Roy, I. (Materials Science & Engineering R-Reports, 2011)
Medium chain length polyhydroxyalkanoates, mcl-PHAs (C6-C 14 carbon atoms), are polyesters of hydroxyalkanoates produced mainly by fluorescent Pseudomonads under unbalanced growth conditions. These mcl-PHAs which can be produced using renewable resources are biocompatible, biodegradable and thermoprocessable. They have low crystallinity, low glass transition temperature, low tensile strength and high elongation to break, making them elastomeric polymers. Mcl-PHAs and their copolymers are suitable for a range of biomedical applications where flexible biomaterials are required, such as heart valves and other cardiovascular applications as well as matrices for controlled drug delivery. Mcl-PHAs are more structurally diverse than short chain length PHAs and hence can be more readily tailored for specific applications. Composites have also been fabricated using mcl-PHAs and their copolymers, such as poly (3-hydroxyoctanoate) [P(3HO)] combined with single walled carbon nanotubes and poly(3-hydroxbutyrate-co-3-hydroxyhexanoate) [P(3HB-co-3HHx)] combined with hydroxyapatite. Because of these attractive properties of biodegradability, biocompatibility and tailorability, Mcl-PHAs and their composites are being increasingly used for biomedical applications. However, studies remain limited mainly to P(3HO) and the copolymer P(3HB-co-3HHx), which are the only mcl-PHAs available in large quantities. In this review we have consolidated current knowledge on the properties and biomedical applications of these elastomeric mcl-PHAs, their copolymers and their composites. © 2010 Elsevier B.V.
UnivIS-Import:2015-03-09:Pub.2011.tech.IW.LM.medium
Keywords: Biomedical applications; Composites; Poly(3-hydroxyoctanoate); Polyesters; Polyhydroxyalkanoates; Tissue engineering

Melaleuca armillaris Essential Oil as an Antibacterial Agent: The Use of Mesoporous Bioactive Glass Nanoparticles as Drug Carrier - Ballarre, Josefina; Buldain, Daniel; Ünalan, Irem; Pastore, Juan I.; Mestorino, Nora; Boccaccini, Aldo R. (Nanomaterials, 2023)
Bioactive glasses have been proposed for bone tissue engineering due to their excellent biocompatibility and osteo-inductive behaviour. The generation of mesoporous bioactive glass (nano) particles adds a high surface area for the dissolution and release of bioactive ions, and the possibility to load them with different drugs for antibacterial purposes. Essential oils (EO) are an interesting resource for alternative medical therapy, providing antimicrobial compounds that come from organic/natural resources like aromatic plants. Also, a biological polymer, such as chitosan, could be used to control the release of active agents from mesoporous bioactive glass (MBG) loaded particles. This work presents MBG particles with nominal composition (in mol) 60% SiO2, 30% CaO and 10% P2O5, loaded with essential oil of Melaleuca armillaris, which contains 1,8-cineol as the main active component, with an inhibitory in vitro activity against several bacterial species. Also, co-loading with a broad-spectrum antibiotic, namely gentamicin, was investigated. The MBG particles were found to be of around 300nm in diameter and to exhibit highly porous open structure. The release of EO from the particles reached 72% of the initial content after the first 24 h, and 80% at 48 h of immersion in phosphate buffered solution. Also, the MBG particles with EO and EO-gentamicin loading presented in vitro apatite formation after 7 days of immersion in simulated body fluid. The antibacterial tests indicated that the main effect, after 24 h of contact with the bacteria, was reached either for the MBG EO or MBG EO-gentamicin particles against E. coli, while the effect against S. aureus was less marked. The results indicate that MBG particles are highly bioactive with the tested composition and loaded with EO of Melaleuca armillaris. The EO, also combined with gentamicin, acts as an antibacterial agent but with different efficacy depending on the bacteria type.
CRIS-Team Scopus Importer:2023-01-20
Keywords: antibacterial properties; essential oil; Melaleuca armillaris; mesoporous bioactive glass

Melt electrospinning writing of defined scaffolds using polylactide-poly(ethylene glycol) blends with 45S5 bioactive glass particles - Hochleitner, Gernot; Kessler, Martina; Schmitz, Michael; Boccaccini, Aldo R.; Tessmar, Joerg; Groll, Juergen (Materials Letters, 2017)
Keywords: Additive manufacturing; Bioactive glass; Composite materials; Melt electrospinning writing; Scaffolds

Mending a broken heart by biomimetic 3D printed natural biomaterial-based cardiac patches: a review - Rosellini, Elisabetta; Cascone, Maria Grazia; Guidi, G. M.; Schubert, Dirk W.; Roether, Judith; Boccaccini, Aldo R. (Frontiers in Bioengineering and Biotechnology, 2023)
Myocardial infarction is one of the major causes of mortality as well as morbidity around the world. Currently available treatment options face a number of drawbacks, hence cardiac tissue engineering, which aims to bioengineer functional cardiac tissue, for application in tissue repair, patient specific drug screening and disease modeling, is being explored as a viable alternative. To achieve this, an appropriate combination of cells, biomimetic scaffolds mimicking the structure and function of the native tissue, and signals, is necessary. Among scaffold fabrication techniques, three-dimensional printing, which is an additive manufacturing technique that enables to translate computer-aided designs into 3D objects, has emerged as a promising technique to develop cardiac patches with a highly defined architecture. As a further step toward the replication of complex tissues, such as cardiac tissue, more recently 3D bioprinting has emerged as a cutting-edge technology to print not only biomaterials, but also multiple cell types simultaneously. In terms of bioinks, biomaterials isolated from natural sources are advantageous, as they can provide exceptional biocompatibility and bioactivity, thus promoting desired cell responses. An ideal biomimetic cardiac patch should incorporate additional functional properties, which can be achieved by means of appropriate functionalization strategies. These are essential to replicate the native tissue, such as the release of biochemical signals, immunomodulatory properties, conductivity, enhanced vascularization and shape memory effects. The aim of the review is to present an overview of the current state of the art regarding the development of biomimetic 3D printed natural biomaterial-based cardiac patches, describing the 3D printing fabrication methods, the natural-biomaterial based bioinks, the functionalization strategies, as well as the in vitro and in vivo application

Mesenchymal stem cells and myoblast differentiation under HGF and IGF-1 stimulation for 3D skeletal muscle tissue engineering - Witt, Ramona; Weigand, Annika; Boos, Anja; Dippold, Dirk; Schubert, Dirk W.; Boccaccini, Aldo R.; Arkudas, Andreas; Horch, Raymund E.; Beier, Justus (Bmc Cell Biology, 2017)
Keywords: HGF; IGF-1; Mesenchymal stem cells; Myogenic differentiation; PCL-collagen nanofibers; Skeletal muscle tissue engineering

Mesenchymal stem cells and myoblast differentiation under HGF and IGF-1 stimulation for 3D skeletal muscle tissue engineering - Witt, Ramona; Weigand, Annika; Boos, Anja; Dippold, Dirk; Boccaccini, Aldo R.; Schubert, Dirk W.; Hardt, Moritz; Lange, Claudia; Arkudas, Andreas; Horch, Raymund E.; Beier, Justus; Cai, Aijia (Bmc Cell Biology, 2017)
Keywords: Mesenchymal stem cells; Myogenic differentiation; HGF; IGF-1; PCL-collagen nanofibers; Skeletal muscle tissue engineering

Mesoporous 45S5 bioactive glass: Synthesis,: in vitro dissolution and biomineralization behavior - Kumar, Anil; Murugavel, Sevi; Aditya, Anusha; Boccaccini, Aldo R. (Journal of Materials Chemistry B, 2017)

Mesoporous bioactive glass embedding propolis and cranberry antibiofilm compounds. - Galarraga-Vinueza, Maria Elisa; Mesquita-Guimaraes, Joana; Magini, Ricardo S.; Souza, Julio C. M.; Fredel, Marcio C.; Boccaccini, Aldo R. (Journal of Biomedical Materials Research Part A, 2018)
/g, according to BJH and BET analyses. A hydroxyl-carbonate apatite (HCAp) layer was formed on all samples after SBF immersion for 72 h. Pure MBG showed the highest chemical reactivity after 72 h, with the resulting apatite layer exhibiting a Ca/P ratio of ∼1.6 in accordance to stoichiometric biological apatite. MBG embedding propolis and cranberry can be considered for future microbiological analysis since the presence of propolis or cranberry did not interfere with MBG's ability to develop a HCAp layer, which is an essential feature for bone regeneration applications. © 2018 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Biomed Mater Res Part A: 106A: 1614-1625, 2018.

Mesoporous Bioactive Glasses in Cancer Diagnosis and Therapy: Stimuli-Responsive, Toxicity, Immunogenicity, and Clinical Translation - Sharifi, Esmaeel; Bigham, Ashkan; Yousefiasl, Satar; Trovato, Maria; Ghomi, Matineh; Esmaeili, Yasaman; Samadi, Pouria; Zarrabi, Ali; Ashrafizadeh, Milad; Sharifi, Shokrollah; Sartorius, Rossella; Dabbagh Moghaddam, Farnaz; et al. (Advanced Science, 2021)
Cancer is one of the top life-threatening dangers to the human survival, accounting for over 10 million deaths per year. Bioactive glasses have developed dramatically since their discovery 50 years ago, with applications that include therapeutics as well as diagnostics. A new system within the bioactive glass family, mesoporous bioactive glasses (MBGs), has evolved into a multifunctional platform, thanks to MBGs easy-to-functionalize nature and tailorable textural properties—surface area, pore size, and pore volume. Although MBGs have yet to meet their potential in tumor treatment and imaging in practice, recently research has shed light on the distinguished MBGs capabilities as promising theranostic systems for cancer imaging and therapy. This review presents research progress in the field of MBG applications in cancer diagnosis and therapy, including synthesis of MBGs, mechanistic overview of MBGs application in tumor diagnosis and drug monitoring, applications of MBGs in cancer therapy (particularly, targeted delivery and stimuli-responsive nanoplatforms), and immunological profile of MBG-based nanodevices in reference to the development of novel cancer therapeutics.
CRIS-Team Scopus Importer:2021-11-26
Keywords: cancer therapy; diagnosis; gene and drug delivery; immunotherapy; mesoporous bioactive glasses; toxicological profile

Mesoporous silica-based bioactive glasses for antibiotic-free antibacterial applications - Kaya, Seray; Cresswell, Mark; Boccaccini, Aldo R. (Materials Science and Engineering C, 2018)
Keywords: Antibacterial; Antibiotic-free; Bioactive glass; Mesoporous; Sol-gel technique

Mesoporous silica submicron particles (MCM-41) incorporating nanoscale Ag: synthesis, characterization and application as drug delivery coatings - Boccardi, Elena; Liverani, Liliana; Beltrán, A. M.; Günther, R.; Schmidt, Jennifer; Peukert, Wolfgang; Boccaccini, Aldo R. (Journal of Porous Materials, 2018)
Keywords: Mesoporous particles; Scaffolds; Drug delivery; Silica; Silver

Metallic ions as therapeutic agents in tissue engineering scaffolds: an overview of their biological applications and strategies for new developments - Mourino, Viviana; Pablo Cattalini, Juan; Boccaccini, Aldo R. (Journal of the Royal Society Interface, 2012)
This article provides an overview on the application of metallic ions in the fields of regenerative medicine and tissue engineering, focusing on their therapeutic applications and the need to design strategies for controlling the release of loaded ions from biomaterial scaffolds. A detailed summary of relevant metallic ions with potential use in tissue engineering approaches is presented. Remaining challenges in the field and directions for future research efforts with focus on the key variables needed to be taken into account when considering the controlled release of metallic ions in tissue engineering therapeutics are also highlighted. © 2011 The Royal Society.
UnivIS-Import:2015-03-09:Pub.2012.tech.IW.LM.metall
Keywords: Bone; Controlled release; Drug delivery; Metallic ions; Scaffolds; Tissue engineering

Metal-organic framework (MOF)-bioactive glass (BG) systems for biomedical applications - A review - Damian-Buda, Andrada-Ioana; Alipanah, Nariman; Bider, Faina; Sisman, Orhan; Neščáková, Zuzana; Boccaccini, Aldo R. (Materials Today Bio, 2025)
In recent years, metal-organic frameworks (MOFs) have emerged as promising materials for biomedical applications, owing to their superior chemical versatility, unique textural properties and enhanced mechanical properties. However, their fast and uncontrolled degradation, together with the reduced bioactivity have restricted their clinical potential. To overcome these limitations, MOFs can be synergistically combined with other materials, such as bioactive glasses (BGs), known for their bioactivity and therapeutic ion releasing capabilities. Besides comparing MOFs and BGs, this review aims to present the latest achievements of different MOFs/BGs materials, with a particular focus on their complementary and synergistic properties. Key findings show that combining MOFs and BGs enables the development of composite materials with superior physicochemical and biological properties. Moreover, by choosing appropriate processing techniques, BGs and MOFs can be fabricated as scaffolds or coatings with fast mineralization ability and high corrosion resistance. In addition, incorporation of MOFs/BGs in hydrogels improves mechanical stability, bioactivity and antibacterial properties, while maintaining biocompatibility. The mechanisms behind the antibacterial properties, likely coming from the release of metal ions and organic ligands, are also discussed. Overall, this review highlights the current research directions and emerging trends in the synergistic use of MOFs and BGs for biomedical applications, which represents a novel strategy for developing a new family of advanced therapeutic materials.
CRIS-Team Scopus Importer:2025-02-17
Keywords: Bioactive glass; Biomedical applications; Metal-organic-framework; Tissue engineering

Micro-computed-tomography-guided analysis of in vitro structural modifications in two types of 45S5 bioactive glass based scaffolds - Westhauser, Fabian; Ciraldo, Francesca; Balasubramanian, Preethi; Senger, Anne-Sophie; Schmidmaier, Gerhard; Moghaddam, Arash; Boccaccini, Aldo R. (Materials, 2017)
Keywords: Bioactive Glass; Maritime national sponge; Polyurethane foam; μCT; tissue engineering; in vitro; dissolution behavior

Micropatterned Down-Converting Coating for White Bio-Hybrid Light-Emitting Diodes - Niklaus, Lukas; Tansaz, Samira; Dakhil, Haider; Weber, Katharina; Pröschel, Marlene; Lang, Martina; Kostrzewa, Monika Maria; Coto, Pedro B.; Detsch, Rainer; Sonnewald, Uwe; Wierschem, Andreas; Boccaccini, Aldo R.; et al. (Advanced Functional Materials, 2017)
White hybrid light-emitting diodes (WHLEDs) are considered as a solid approach toward environmentally sustainable lighting sources that meet the "Green Photonics" requirements. Here, WHLEDs with protein-based down-converting coatings, i.e., Bio-WHLEDs, are demonstrated and exhibit worthy white color quality, luminous efficiency, and stability values. The coatings feature a multilayered cascade-like architecture with thicknesses of 1-3 mm. This limits the efficiency due to the low optical transmittance. Thus, submillimeter coatings, where the location of the proteins is well-defined, are highly desired. It is in this context where the thrust of this work sets in. Here, a straightforward way to design microstructured single-layer coatings, in which the proteins are placed at our command by using 3D printing, is presented. Based on comprehensive spectroscopic and rheological investigations, the optimization of the matrix and the plotting to prepare different micropatterns, i.e., lines, open-grids, and closed-grids, is rationalized. The latter are applied to prepare Bio-WHLEDs with approximate to 5-fold enhancement of the luminous efficiency compared to the reference devices with a cascade-like coating, without losing stability and color quality. As such, this work shows a new route to exploit proteins for optoelectronics, setting a new avenue of research into the emerging field of Bio-WHLEDs.

Microporous glass ceramics from combination of silicate, borate and phosphate wastes - Cicek, B.; Esposito, L.; Tucci, A.; Bernardo, Enrico; Boccaccini, Aldo R.; Bingham, P. A. (Advances in Applied Ceramics, 2012)
Borate mineral wastes and phosphate ash resulting from the incineration of meat and bone meal represent two particularly abundant inorganic wastes. This paper is dedicated to the combination of such wastes, together with kaolin clay, focused on the development of highly porous ceramic bodies. Borate waste has a multiple effect, providing liquid phase at the sintering temperature (1050°C), gas release (from the decomposition of its calcite fraction) and a CaO source, which reacts with residues from clay and promotes the formation of anorthite crystals as a newly formed phase. Control of the heating rate, i.e. adoption of fast heating (20°C min -1) and, above all, introduction of recycled soda-lime-silica glass as secondary additive, allowed obtaining lightweight microporous bodies (density below 0·45 g cm -3) with uniform pore structure that could be useful for thermal and acoustic insulations. © 2012 Institute of Materials, Minerals and Mining.
UnivIS-Import:2015-03-09:Pub.2012.tech.IW.LM.microp
Keywords: Boron; Glass ceramic; Meat bone and meal ash; Waste recycling

Microporous organic-inorganic nanocomposite coatings on stainless steel via electrophoretic deposition for biomedical applications - Abdullah, Hasan Zuhudi Bin; Boccaccini, Aldo R. (ECS Transactions, 2018)
Microporous organic-inorganic nanocomposite coatings (chitosan/gelatin/halloysite) were deposited on stainless steel for improving the surface biocompatibility providing enhanced functionality for biomedical applications. For fabricating the coating, chitosan and gelatin-based suspensions were prepared and then dissolved in hydrochloric acid (HCl) solution; to this, varying amounts of halloysite nanotubes were added. The electrophoretic deposition (EPD) method was used at room temperature with low applied voltages (5 and 10 V) and short deposition times (1-5 minutes). Microporous coatings were characterised using optical microscopy, field emission scanning electron microscopy and energy-dispersive X-ray spectrometry. In vitro studies were performed in simulated body fluid (SBF) for 3 days to evaluate the formation of bone-like apatite on the coating surface. The extent of porosity increased with increase in the applied voltage owing to the occurrence of bubbles at the interface between the suspension and substrate.
CRIS-Team Scopus Importer:2022-08-05

Microscale electric fields induced by galvanically coupled Ti-Mg metal-metal composites promote antibacterial activity - Ouyang, Sihui; Zheng, Kai; Zhang, Weidong; Chen, Wenjuan; Liu, Yong (Materialia, 2020)
Implant-associated infections still represent major challenge to successful implantation. Titanium and its alloys are attractive implant materials for orthopedic applications. However, they lack of effective antibacterial activities against bacterial infection. Heterogeneous metallic materials can induce galvanic corrosion in physiological solution, and this phenomenon can also induce antibacterial action. In this work, we fabricated Ti-Mg metal-metal composites (MMCs) with different contents of Mg-Zn alloy by spark plasma sintering (SPS). We quantitatively evidenced that microscale electric fields formed between Ti and Mg area in MMCs by using atomic force microscopy (AFM). The formation of microscale electric fields effectively inhibited the adhesion and growth of Gram-positive Staphylococcus aureus (S. aureus) and Gram-negative Escherichia coli (E. coli) on Ti-Mg MMCs. Moreover, the antibacterial behavior could be controlled by tuning microscale electric fields, revealing the effect of the electron transfer in the antibacterial process. The electron transfer between the Mg-rich area and titanium matrix could induce local alkaline environment leading to bacterial death. Moreover, the presence of microscale electric fields could induce burst generation of reactive oxygen species (ROS) in bacteria, which also caused bacterial death by inducing intracellular oxidation, membrane potential variation, and the release of cellular contents. The findings can provide new insights for understanding the antibacterial action of Ti-Mg MMCs that exhibit great potential as orthopedic implants. The results also offer new concepts for designing metal-metal composite implants with non-antibiotic solution for combatting infections by controlling microscale electric fields.
CRIS-Team Scopus Importer:2020-02-25
Keywords: Antibacterial ability; Composites; Implants; Micro-galvanic couple; ROS

Microstructural and compositional characterisation of the pyrocarbon interlayer in SiC coated low density carbon/carbon composites - Boccaccini, Aldo R.; et al. (Journal of the European Ceramic Society, 2010)
UnivIS-Import:2015-03-09:Pub.2010.tech.IW.LM.micros_5

Microstructural and electrical characterization of Mn-Co spinel protective coatings for solid oxide cell interconnects - Molin, Sebastian; Sabato, A. G.; Bindi, M.; Leone, P.; Cempura, G.; Salvo, M.; Polo, S. Cabanas; Boccaccini, Aldo R.; Smeacetto, F. (Journal of the European Ceramic Society, 2017)
Keywords: Area specific resistance; Electrophoretic deposition; Microstructure; Protective coating; Solid oxide cell

Microstructural and in vitro characterization of 45S5 bioactive glass coatings deposited by solution precursor plasma spraying (SPPS) - Canas, E.; Orts, M. J.; Boccaccini, Aldo R.; Sanchez, E. (Surface & Coatings Technology, 2019)
The present work focused on the development of bioactive glass coatings employing Solution Precursor Plasma Spraying. Precursors of SiO2, CaO, Na2O and P2O5 were mixed in distilled water to prepare concentrated solutions with a composition close to the 45S5 bioactive glass.
CRIS-Team WoS Importer:2019-07-12

Microstructural characterisation and electrical properties of multiwalled carbon nanotubes/glass-ceramic nanocomposites - Giovanardi, Roberto; Montorsi, Monia; Ori, Guido; Cho, Johann; Subhani, Tayyab; Boccaccini, Aldo R.; Siligardi, Cristina (Journal of Materials Chemistry, 2010)
We report on an improved processing method for fabricating multiwalled carbon nanotubes/glass-ceramic nanocomposites based on vanadium doped silicate glass matrices. Starting from the design of a stable aqueous dispersion of CNTs, achieved using a cationic surfactant, the interaction of CNTs with glass particles in suspension was improved using a co-solvent that provided access to nanocomposites exhibiting high quality CNT distribution in the matrix, which was confirmed by detailed micro/nano-structural and morphological characterisation. Considering that very few studies have focused on the functional properties of CNT/glass composites, in the present investigation the electrical resistivity of CNT/glass composites was measured and it was demonstrated that higher electrical conductivity values were obtained compared to previous similar materials fabricated by conventional powder processing. © 2010 The Royal Society of Chemistry.
UnivIS-Import:2015-03-09:Pub.2010.tech.IW.LM.micros

Microstructural evolution during deformation of tin dioxide nanoparticles in a comminution process - Armstrong, Patrick; Knieke, Catharina; Mackovic, Mirza; Frank, Gerhard; Hartmaier, Alexander; Göken, Mathias; Peukert, Wolfgang; Mackovic, Mirza (Acta Materialia, 2009)
Nanoparticles can be produced by wet grinding in stirred media mills if agglomeration is prevented by stabilization of the particles. Since the fracture mechanisms at the lower nanoscale are not yet understood, we studied the evolution of the microstructure within tin dioxide particles. Electrostatic stabilization allows the formation of tin dioxide with a mean particle size of 25 nm as measured by dynamic light scattering. High-resolution transmission electron microscopy (HRTEM) images show particles well below 10 nm and mean crystallite sizes of 9 nm were obtained from X-ray diffraction by applying the Rietveld refinement method. Additionally, TEM and HRTEM analyses were conducted to gain detailed insight into the microstructural effects governing the grinding process. Microscopy revealed surprisingly rich phenomena including the formation of shear bands, twinning and stacking faults that directly affect the grinding behavior. Interestingly the ceramic nanoparticles showed not only fracture patterns expected from brittle fracture but also many traces of plastic deformation. For comparison the uniaxial compression of particles up to 30 nm in diameter was simulated using molecular dynamics. The simulated particles shared microstructural details with the real samples, most importantly the shear bands which lead to significant plastic deformation. The internal microstructure produced during multiple particle stressing events in the mill and also observed in the simulations is directly linked to the fracture mechanism and the experimentally observed grinding limit. © 2009 Acta Materialia In
UnivIS-Import:2015-03-09:Pub.2009.tech.IW.LM.micros
Keywords: Molecular dynamics simulations; Nanomechanics; Nanostructure; Shear bands; Transmission electron microscopy (TEM)

Microstructure and chemical degradation of adobe and clay bricks - Calabria, Juliana A.; Vasconcelos, Wander L.; Boccaccini, Aldo R. (Ceramics International, 2009)
The environmental degradation of adobe and fired clay brick was studied. Leaching media based on Na2S2O5 solution and deionized water were used. The microstructure of the samples was evaluated by X-ray powder diffraction, nitrogen adsorption-desorption (BET method), Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy and scanning electron microscopy. The predominant phases detected were kaolinite and quartz for both the adobe and fired brick samples. The high surface reactivity, associated with a large amount of OH groups, contributes to the significant degradation of adobe. The fired clay brick showed a significant decrease in the average pore diameter after the first day of the leaching process; its specific surface area exhibited a reduction of about three orders of magnitude. The results of the present investigation contribute to a better understanding of the correlation between structure and leaching behaviour in adobe and clay brick, attending the renewed interest in these materials as environmentally attractive building blocks. © 2008 Elsevier Ltd and Techna Group S.r.l.
UnivIS-Import:2015-03-09:Pub.2009.tech.IW.LM.micros_8
Keywords: Adobes; B. Microstructure; B. Porosity; D. Clays; E. Structural applications

Microstructure and properties of composite polyetheretherketone/Bioglass® coatings deposited on Ti-6Al-7Nb alloy for medical applications - Moskalewicz, Tomasz; Seuß, Sigrid; Boccaccini, Aldo R. (Applied Surface Science, 2013)
Composite polyetheretherketone (PEEK)/Bioglass® coatings were electrophoretically deposited on two phase α + β Ti-6Al-7Nb titanium alloy substrates. A heat treatment was performed to improve the adhesion of the coatings to the substrate. The microstructure of the coatings and substrate was examined by light microscopy, scanning- and transmission electron microscopy methods as well as by X-ray diffractometry. Coatings deposited from suspensions with PEEK/Bioglass® weight ratio of 0.3 showed the best quality. Coatings of 40 μm thickness, exhibiting uniform porosity, without any cracks or presence of large voids were produced. The microstructure of the coatings was observed to be composed of Bioglass® particles fairly homogeneously embedded in a PEEK matrix. STEM-EDX line analysis revealed diffusion of Na from the glass to the PEEK matrix after heat-treatment. The results demonstrate that electrophoretic deposition (EPD) is a very useful method to deposit uniform and reproducible microporous composite PEEK/Bioglass® coatings on titanium alloy substrate for biomedical applications. © 2013 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.
UnivIS-Import:2015-03-09:Pub.2013.tech.IW.LM.micros
Keywords: Bioglass; Composite coating; EPD; Microstructure; PEEK; Titanium alloy

Microstructure characterization of erosion resitant coatings on carbon-bonded carbon fibre composites - Moskalewicz, Tomasz; Smeacetto, Federico; Salvo, Milena; Boccaccini, Aldo R.; Czyrska-Filemonowicz, Aleksandra (Journal of Microscopy, 2010)
UnivIS-Import:2015-03-09:Pub.2010.tech.IW.LM.charac_4

Microstructure of nanocrystalline TiO2 films produced by electrophoretic deposition on Ti-6Al-7Nb alloy - Boccaccini, Aldo R.; et al. (Surface & Coatings Technology, 2007)
Nanocrystalline TiO2 powders were electrophoretically deposited on the surface of Ti-6Al-7Nb alloy substrate. Post heat treatment at 850 °C was performed to improve the adhesion strength of the coating. The microstructure of the coating and substrate has been examined by light microscopy, scanning electron microscopy, analytical TEM methods (SAED, EDS) and X-ray diffraction. TEM investigations of cross-section thin foils allowed for detailed analysis of the coating microstructure. The TiO2 film exhibited a nanocrystalline structure. SAED and XRD analyses show that the as-deposited nanocrystalline TiO2 films exhibited anatase and rutile phase. The micromechanical properties (microhardness, Young's modulus) were measured. The results obtained show that TiO2 films have low hardness and Young's modulus. During scratch tests any flaking or fracture was observed. © 2007 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.
UnivIS-Import:2015-03-09:Pub.2007.tech.IW.LM.micros
Keywords: Electrophoretic deposition; Titanium alloy; Titanium oxide; Transmission electron microscopy

Microstructure of veneered zirconia after surface treatments: A TEM study - Grigore, Alexandra; Spallek, Stefanie; Petschelt, Anselm; Butz, Benjamin; Spiecker, Erdmann; Lohbauer, Ulrich (Dental Materials, 2013)
Signcance. Regardless of the treatment protocol and produced roughness, the veneering ceramic perfectly sealed the zirconia surface. XRD showed an increased amount of monoclinic phase on the surface treated zirconia. However after thermal treatment, the monoclinic phase was re-transformed into the tetragonal polymorph. TEM/SAED analysis has found indication for a greater extend of the monoclinic transformation into the bulk zirconia compared to the treatment related defective zone depth. (C) 2013 Academy of Dental Materials. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.
Keywords: Y-TZP; X-ray diffraction; Martensitic transformation; Sandblasting; Bur drilling; Annealing

Mineral matrix deposition of MC3T3-E1 pre-osteoblastic cells exposed to silicocarnotite and nagelschmidtite bioceramics: In vitro comparison to hydroxyapatite - Rincón-López, July Andrea; Hermann-Muñoz, Jennifer Andrea; Detsch, Rainer; Rangel-López, Raúl; Muñoz-Saldaña, Juan; Jiménez-Sandoval, Sergio; Alvarado-Orozco, Juan Manuel; Boccaccini, Aldo R. (Journal of Biomedical Materials Research Part A, 2024)
This work presents the effect of the silicocarnotite (SC) and nagelschmidtite (Nagel) phases on in vitro osteogenesis. The known hydroxyapatite of biological origin (BHAp) was used as a standard of osteoconductive characteristics. The evaluation was carried out in conventional and osteogenic media for comparative purposes to assess the osteogenic ability of the bioceramics. First, the effect of the material on cell viability at 24 h, 7 and 14 days of incubation was evaluated. In addition, cell morphology and attachment on dense bioceramic surfaces were observed by fluorescence microscopy. Specifically, alkaline phosphatase (ALP) activity was evaluated as an osteogenic marker of the early stages of bone cell differentiation. Mineralized extracellular matrix was observed by calcium phosphate deposits and extracellular vesicle formation. Furthermore, cell phenotype determination was confirmed by scanning electron microscope. The results provided relevant information on the cell attachment, proliferation, and osteogenic differentiation processes after 7 and 14 days of incubation. Finally, it was demonstrated that SC and Nagel phases promote cell proliferation and differentiation, while the Nagel phase exhibited a superior osteoconductive behavior and could promote MC3T3-E1 cell differentiation to a higher extent than SC and BHAp, which was reflected in a higher number of deposits in a shorter period for both conventional and osteogenic media.
CRIS-Team Scopus Importer:2024-03-15
Keywords: hydroxyapatite; MC3T3-E1 cell line; mineral matrix deposition; nagelschmidtite; silicocarnotite

Mn-Co spinel coatings on Crofer 22 APU by electrophoretic deposition: Up scaling, performance in SOFC stack at 850 °C and compositional modifications - Sabato, A. G.; Zanchi, E.; Molin, S.; Cempura, G.; Javed, H.; Herbrig, K.; Walter, C.; Boccaccini, Aldo R.; Smeacetto, F. (Journal of the European Ceramic Society, 2021)
Ceramic coatings for metallic interconnects play a key role in limiting corrosion and chromium evaporation in solid oxide cells. This study presents the upscaling of the electrophoretic deposition (EPD) technique to process Mn-Co spinels on real-dimension Crofer 22 APU interconnects and the test in a SOFC stack. Area specific resistance of long-term test conducted for 5000 h at 850 °C demonstrated that two-steps sintering has a significant influence on the coating performance; an area specific resistance degradation rate of 0.5 mΩ cm2 kh−1 is recorded. Stack test, operated in fuel cell mode at 850 °C for 3000 h under application of 227 mA/cm², including 5 thermal cycles, demonstrated the effectiveness of the electrophoretically deposited Mn-Co spinel in limiting the oxide scale growth on the Crofer 22 APU. An advanced post mortem investigation showed the effectiveness of the EPD ceramic coating, even when considering different and complex surfaces of the Crofer 22 APU.
CRIS-Team Scopus Importer:2021-04-09
Keywords: Coating; Electron microscopy; Electrophoretic deposition; SOFC; Spinel

Modelling bioactivity and degradation of bioactive glass based tissue engineering scaffolds - Sanz-Herrera, J. A.; Boccaccini, Aldo R. (International Journal of Solids and Structures, 2011)
Bioactive glasses are a class of inorganic biomaterials widely used in bone tissue engineering and regenerative medicine. Once implanted in the human body, these biomaterials react with the body fluid resulting in the formation of a surface hydroxyapatite (HA) layer, which exhibits the ability to form a stable chemical bond with the adjacent living bone tissue. The experimental evaluation of the degradation of bioactive glasses in contact with body fluid requires long-term in vitro assays. In this work, a novel mathematical model is proposed to numerically analyze the dissolution and bioactivity of bioactive glasses in relevant conditions for their in vitro and in vivo applications. A detailed framework is described for the numerical implementation using the Voxel-FEM method, in order to account for the microstructural evolution as consequence of degradation and HA layer formation. Two examples of application are highlighted, showing the suitability and usefulness of the proposed model for the evaluation of bioactive glasses in tissue engineering applications. © 2010 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.
UnivIS-Import:2015-03-09:Pub.2011.tech.IW.LM.modell
Keywords: Bioactive glass; Computational simulation; Dissolution and precipitation; Reaction-diffusion equations; Tissue engineering

Model of dissolution in the framework of tissue engineering and drug delivery. - Sanz-Herrera, J. A.; Soria, L.; Reina-Romo, E.; Torres, Y.; Boccaccini, Aldo R. (Biomechanics and modeling in mechanobiology, 2018)
Dissolution phenomena are ubiquitously present in biomaterials in many different fields. Despite the advantages of simulation-based design of biomaterials in medical applications, additional efforts are needed to derive reliable models which describe the process of dissolution. A phenomenologically based model, available for simulation of dissolution in biomaterials, is introduced in this paper. The model turns into a set of reaction-diffusion equations implemented in a finite element numerical framework. First, a parametric analysis is conducted in order to explore the role of model parameters on the overall dissolution process. Then, the model is calibrated and validated versus a straightforward but rigorous experimental setup. Results show that the mathematical model macroscopically reproduces the main physicochemical phenomena that take place in the tests, corroborating its usefulness for design of biomaterials in the tissue engineering and drug delivery research areas.

Modification of in vitro degradation behavior of pure iron with ultrasonication treatment: Comparison of two different pseudo-physiological solutions - Zhou, Juncen; Fink, Michael; Bruns, Mark; Yang, Yuyun; Detsch, Rainer; Boccaccini, Aldo R.; Ermert, Helmut; Virtanen, Sannakaisa (Materials Science and Engineering C, 2018)

Modulation of neuronal cell affinity of composite scaffolds based on polyhydroxyalkanoates and bioactive glasses - Lizarraga-Valderrama, Lorena R.; Nigmatullin, Rinat; Ladino, Bryan; Taylor, Caroline S.; Boccaccini, Aldo R.; Knowles, Jonathan C.; Claeyssens, Frederik; Haycock, John W.; Roy, Ipsita (Biomedical Materials, 2020)
The biocompatibility and neuron regenerating properties of various bioactive glass (BG)/polyhydroxyalkanoate (PHA) blend composites were assessed in order to study their suitability for peripheral nerve tissue applications, specifically as lumen structures for nerve guidance conduits. BG/PHA blend composites were fabricated using Bioactive glass (R) 45 S5 (BG1) and BG 1393 (BG2) with the 25:75 poly(3-hydroxyoctanoate/poly3-hydroxybutyrate), 25:75 P(3HO)/P(3HB) blend (PHA blend). Various concentrations of each BG (0.5 wt%, 1.0 wt% and 2.5 wt%) were used to determine the effect of BG on neuronal growth and differentiation, in single culture using NG108-15 neuronal cells and in a co-culture along with RN22 Schwann cells. NG108-15 cells exhibited good growth and differentiation on all the PHA blend composites showing that both BGs have good biocompatibility at 0.5 wt%, 1.0 wt% and 2.5 wt% within the PHA blend. The Young's modulus values displayed by all the PHA blend/BG composites ranged from 385.6 MPa to 1792.6 MPa, which are able to provide the required support and protective effect for the regeneration of peripheral nerves. More specifically, the tensile strength obtained in the PHA blend/BG1 (1.0 wt%) (10.0 +/- 0.6 MPa) was found to be similar to that of the rabbit peroneal nerve. This composite also exhibited the best biological performance in supporting growth and neuronal differentiation among all the substrates. The neurite extension on this composite was found to be remarkable with the neurites forming a complex connection network.
CRIS-Team WoS Importer:2020-07-31

Molecular changes induced in melanoma by cell culturing in 3D alginate hydrogels - Kappelmann-Fenzl, M.; Schmidt, Sonja; Fischer, Stefan; Schmid, Rafael; Lämmerhirt, Lisa; Fischer, Lena; Schrüfer, Stefan; Thievessen, Ingo; Schubert, Dirk W.; Matthies, Alexander Oliver; Detsch, Rainer; Boccaccini, Aldo R.; et al. (Cancers, 2021)
Alginate hydrogels have been used as a biomaterial for 3D culturing for several years. Here, gene expression patterns in melanoma cells cultivated in 3D alginate are compared to 2D cultures. It is well-known that 2D cell culture is not resembling the complex in vivo situation well. However, the use of very intricate 3D models does not allow performing high-throughput screening and analysis is highly complex. 3D cell culture strategies in hydrogels will better mimic the in vivo situation while they maintain feasibility for large-scale analysis. As alginate is an easy-to-use material and due to its favorable properties, it is commonly applied as a bioink component in the growing field of cell encapsulation and biofabrication. Yet, only a little information about the transcriptome in 3D cultures in hydrogels like alginate is available. In this study, changes in the transcriptome based on RNA-Seq data by cultivating melanoma cells in 3D alginate are analyzed and reveal marked changes compared to cells cultured on usual 2D tissue culture plastic. Deregulated genes represent valuable cues to signaling pathways and molecules affected by the culture method. Using this as a model system for tumor cell plasticity and heterogeneity, EGR1 is determined to play an important role in melanoma progression.
CRIS-Team Scopus Importer:2021-08-20
Keywords: 3D cultivation; Biomaterials; EGR1; Melanoma; Whole transcriptome

Monodispersed lysozyme-functionalized bioactive glass nanoparticles with antibacterial and anticancer activities - Zheng, Kai; Lu, Miao; Liu, Yufang; Chen, Qiang; Taccardi, Nicola; Hueser, Norbert; Boccaccini, Aldo R. (Biomedical Materials, 2016)
In this study, highly monodispersed spherical bioactive glass nanoparticles (BGS) with a particle size of 408 ± 36 nm were synthesized using a modified Stöber method. The BGS was then functionalized with lysozyme (LY) via a simple electrostatic interaction routine under selected conditions. The LY-functionalized BGS (LY-BGS) exhibited monodispersity, spherical morphology and homogeneity in size. The incorporated content of LY could be tailored conveniently by adjusting the initial concentration of the LY precursor for functionalization. Hydroxyapatite (HA) formed on the LY-BGS after soaking in simulated body fluid (SBF) for 7 d, but the formation was retarded compared to the non-functionalized BGS. The LY-BGS showed antibacterial activity towards Gram-positive B. subtilis and >90% of the bacteria was killed within 24 h after culture with the LY-BGS at a concentration of 1 mg ml-1. The LY-BGS also showed cytotoxicity towards the human hepatocellular carcinoma (HepG2) cell line. In addition, the relative cytotoxicity increased with an increase in the concentration of the LY-BGS in contact with the cells. As a comparison, the LY-BGS exhibited reduced or no cytotoxicity towards human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVECs) at the same concentration with respect to the HepG2 groups. Notably, the relative cell viability of HepG2 was 45.9% after exposure to the LY-BGS at a concentration of 10 extgreekmg ml-1 for 24 h, while no decrease in relative viability for the HUVECs was observed under the same conditions. This cytotoxicity window between cancerous cells and healthy cells could be expected for cancer treatment. Furthermore, the antibacterial properties and the bioactivity of LY-BGS make it a promising material for biomedical applications, particularly in the treatment of bone defects caused by tumors.
Keywords: antibacterial activity; anticancer activity; bioactive glasses; lysozyme; nanocomposites

Monophasic hyaluronic acid-silica hybrid hydrogels for articular cartilage applications - Zhang, Huijun; Faber, Jessica; Budday, Silvia; Gao, Qingsen; Kuth, Sonja; Zheng, Kai; Boccaccini, Aldo R. (Biomaterials Advances, 2025)
Hyaluronic acid (HA), an FDA-approved natural polymer and important component of the extracellular matrix (ECM), has been widely used to develop hydrogels for cartilage regeneration. However, HA hydrogels often exhibit poor mechanical properties and unsuitable degradability, limiting their capability to support cell growth in cartilage. To overcome these challenges, this study modifies HA with a silica precursor and the coupling agent (3-Glycidyloxypropyl) trimethoxysilane (GPTMS) to develop a monophasic organic-inorganic hybrid HA-silica hydrogel. In this system, the inorganic silicate and organic HA components interpenetrate and bond covalently at the molecular level. The HA-silica hybrid hydrogel achieves a compressive modulus of 143 kPa at the highest GPTMS/HA molar ratio of 400. Additionally, in vitro cell studies show that these hybrid hydrogels have no cytotoxicity against MC3T3-E1 and ATDC-5 cells. Cell viability and morphology tests further confirm excellent cell adhesion on the hybrid scaffold. These results indicate that the developed HA-silica hybrid hydrogel is a suitable candidate for cartilage regeneration applications.
CRIS-Team Scopus Importer:2024-11-22
Keywords: Cartilage regeneration; Hyaluronic acid; Hybrid hydrogel; Silica

Morphological and mechanical characterization of chitosan/gelatin/silica-gentamicin/bioactive glass coatings on orthopaedic metallic implant materials - Aydemir, Tuba; Pastore, Juan I.; Jimenez-Pique, Emilio; Roa, Joan Josep; Boccaccini, Aldo R.; Ballarre, Josefina (Thin Solid Films, 2021)
Metals are the most widely used materials for orthopedics and dentistry due to their high mechanical properties. However, for certain uses like fixation plates and screws, dental implants, and osseo-articular prosthesis, their surface characteristics such as non-toxic and non-corrosive behavior, good cell adhesion and proliferation, and resistance to bacterial biofilm formation should be accompanied with high mechanical performance. One way to improve metallic implant performance in vivo is to coat them with biopolymer or inorganic thin films. This work describes two multifunctional coating systems for orthopedic titanium and stainless steel implants. Titanium implants were coated with a system consisting of a base hybrid sol-gel layer with bioactive glass particles (applied via spraying) and a top chitosan/gelatin layer with silica-gentamicin nanoparticles (applied via electrophoretic deposition, EPD). Stainless steel implants, which are designed to be removable, were coated only with the top chitosan/gelatin/ silica-gentamicin nanoparticles layer with the aim of providing a temporal attachment to bone and to combat possible bacterial adhesion. The microstructural and mechanical characterization of the coatings was conducted by optical microscopy, transmission and scanning electron microscopy, digital image processing, as well as nanoindentation and nanoscratch tests to advance the understanding of their elastic-plastic, morphologic and adhesive behavior. The coatings were homogeneous, providing good coverage to both substrates. Their surface properties, such as roughness and wettability, indicate that they represent excellent substrates for cell attachment. Bioactive glass particles can be added to titanium implant systems as bioactive components without affecting adhesion or mechanical performance of the chitosan/gelatin/silica-gentamicin nanoparticle EPD coatings. The increase in both hardness and elastic modulus of the coated systems could be due to the presence of the silica-gentamicin nanoparticles and their compaction during the penetration of the indenter. When the samples are subjected to scratch tests, the critical load increases with the reinforcement of the coatings by the silica-gentamicin nanoparticles absorbing the applied load and maintaining the elastic properties of the coatings.
CRIS-Team Scopus Importer:2021-07-02
Keywords: Bioactive glasses; Biopolymers; Electrophoretic deposition; Functional coatings; Mechanical properties; Metallic implants

Morphology and topography of chitosan-Zn complex/PEO fiber mats influence cell viability and attachment - Mutlu, Nurshen; Kurtuldu, Fatih; Nowicka, Aleksandra; Liverani, Liliana; Galusek, Dušan; Boccaccini, Aldo R. (International Journal of Biological Macromolecules, 2025)
Electrospun fiber mats with therapeutic potential show great promise as wound healing biomaterials. This study aims to compare the biophysical properties and biocompatibility of four different biodegradable fiber mats; namely chitosan and chitosan‑zinc complex (ChiZn)/(polyethylene oxide) PEO fibers, each with either nanometer-sized ( 200 nm) or micron-sized ( 1000 nm) diameters. Zn was incorporated to impact antibacterial properties of the fibers, ChiZn was synthesized using the in-situ precipitation method, and the influence of zinc chelation on the material structure and morphology was assessed using XRD, FTIR, XPS, and EDX, documenting the complexation and homogeneous distribution of zinc. ChiZn was then blended with PEO for electrospinning in a benign solvent system and crosslinked with glutaraldehyde vapor. SEM was used to examine fiber morphology while AFM documented a correlation between the roughness and fiber diameter. The effects of topography and composition on the viability, adhesion, and proliferation of stromal cells and mouse fibroblasts were investigated, showing higher cell viability on mats composed of nanosized fibers, whereas complex fiber mats composed of micron-sized fibers exhibited reduced cell viability. SEM evaluations showed that cells spread only on the surface of the nanosized fibers, independently of the presence of Zn, while cell infiltration into the mats was observed for micron-sized fibers.
CRIS-Team Scopus Importer:2025-05-09
Keywords: Chitosan; Complexation; Electrospinning

MOULDING THE FUTURE OF 3D PRINTING: SACRIFICIAL MOULDS FOR THE FABRICATION OF HYDROGEL CONSTRUCTS - Robering, Jan W.; Reakasame, Supachai; Gao, Jie; Beier, Justus P.; Boccaccini, Aldo R.; Horch, Raymund E.; Boos, Anja M. (TISSUE ENGINEERING PART A, 2022)
CRIS-Team WoS Importer:2022-08-12

Mucin Coatings Establish Multifunctional Properties on Commercial Sutures - Gürer, Ufuk; Fan, Di; Xu, Zhiyan; Nawaz, Qaisar; Baartman, Jorrit; Boccaccini, Aldo R.; Lieleg, Oliver (ACS Applied Bio Materials, 2025)
During the wound healing process, complications such as bacterial attachment or inflammation may occur, potentially leading to surgical site infections. To reduce this risk, many commercial sutures contain biocides such as triclosan; however, this chemical has been linked to toxicity and contributes to the occurrence of bacterial resistance. In response to the need for more biocompatible alternatives, we here present an approach inspired by the innate human defense system: utilizing mucin glycoproteins derived from porcine mucus to create more cytocompatible suture coatings with antibiofouling properties. By attaching manually purified mucin to commercially available sutures through a simple and rapid coating process, we obtain sutures with cell-repellent and antibacterial properties toward Gram-positive bacteria. Importantly, our approach preserves the very good mechanical and tribological properties of the sutures while offering options for further modifications: the mucin matrix can either be condensed for controlled localized drug release or covalently functionalized with inorganic nanoparticles for hard tissue applications, which allows for tailoring a commercial suture for specific biomedical use cases.
CRIS-Team Scopus Importer:2025-03-21
Keywords: antibacterial; bioactive glass; biopolymer; drug release; surgical site infection

Multiferroic nanocomposite fabrication via liquid phase using anodic alumina template. - Kawamura, Go; Ohara, Kazuhiro; Tan, Wai Kian; Goto, Taichi; Nakamura, Yuichi; Inoue, Mitsuteru; Muto, Hiroyuki; Yamaguchi, Kazuhiro; Boccaccini, Aldo R.; Matsuda, Atsunori (Science and Technology of Advanced Materials, 2018)
layers by a sol-gel spin-coating method to obtain the composite. Its multiferroicity was confirmed by measuring the magnetic and dielectric hysteresis loops.

Multifunctional bioactive glass scaffolds coated with layers of poly(d,l-lactide-co-glycolide) and poly(n-isopropylacrylamide-co-acrylic acid) microgels loaded with vancomycin - Olalde, B.; Garmendia, N.; Saez-Martinez, V.; Argarate, N.; Nooeaid, Patcharakamon; Morin, F.; Boccaccini, Aldo R. (Materials Science and Engineering C, 2013)
A new family of multifunctional scaffolds, incorporating selected biopolymer coatings on basic Bioglass® derived foams has been developed. The polymer coatings were investigated as carrier of vancomycin which is a suitable drug to impart antibiotic function to the scaffolds. It has been proved that coating with PLGA (poly(lactic-co-glycolic acid)) with dispersed vancomycin-loaded microgels provides a rapid delivery of drug to give antibacterial effects at the wound site and a further sustained release to aid mid to long-term healing. Furthermore, the microgels also improved the bioactivity of the scaffolds by acting as nucleation sites for the formation of HA crystals in simulated body fluid. © 2013 Elsevier B.V.
UnivIS-Import:2015-03-09:Pub.2013.tech.IW.LM.multif
Keywords: Bioglass®; Drug delivery; Microgel; PLGA; Scaffold; Vancomycin

Multifunctional Chitosan-45S5 Bioactive Glass-Poly(3-hydroxybutyrate-co-3-hydroxyvalerate) Microsphere Composite Membranes for Guided Tissue/Bone Regeneration - Li, Wei; Ding, Yaping; Yu, Shanshan; Yao, Qingqing; Boccaccini, Aldo R. (ACS Applied Materials and Interfaces, 2015)
Novel multifunctional chitosan-45S5 bioactive glass-poly(3-hydroxybutyrate-co-3-hydroxyvalerate) (PHBV) microsphere (CS-BG-MS) composite membranes were developed with applicability in guided tissue/bone regeneration (GTR/GBR). The incorporation of 45S5 BG and PHBV MS into CS membranes not only provided the membranes with favorable surface roughness, hydrophilicity, and flexibility but also slowed down their degradation rate. Moreover, the CS membranes became bioactive after the incorporation of 45S5 BG and capable of releasing drugs of different physicochemical properties in a controlled and sustained manner with the addition of PHBV MS. Cell culture tests showed that osteoblast-like MG-63 human osteosarcoma cells had significantly higher adhesion, cell proliferation, and alkaline phosphatase (ALP) activity on CS-BG and CS-BG-MS membranes than on neat CS membranes. Therefore, the developed bioactive CS-BG-MS membranes with potential multidrug (e.g., antibacterial and antiosteoporosis drugs) delivery capability are promising candidate membranes for GTR/GBR applications.
Keywords: 45S5 bioactive glass; chitosan; drug delivery; guided bone regeneration; membrane; PHBV microsphere

Multifunctional chitosan/polyvinyl pyrrolidone/45S5 Bioglass® scaffolds for MC3T3-E1 cell stimulation and drug release - Yao, Qingqing; Li, Wei; Yu, Shanshan; Ma, Liwei; Jin, Dayong; Boccaccini, Aldo R.; Liu, Yong (Materials Science and Engineering C, 2015)
Abstract Novel chitosan-polyvinyl pyrrolidone/45S5 Bioglass® (CS-PVP/BG) scaffolds were prepared via foam replication and chemical cross-linking techniques. The pristine BG, CS-PVP coated BG and genipin cross-linked CS-PVP/BG (G-CS-PVP/BG) scaffolds were synthesized and characterized in terms of chemical composition, physical structure and morphology respectively. Resistance to enzymatic degradation of the scaffold is improved significantly with the use of genipin cross-linked CS-PVP. The bio-effects of scaffolds on MC3T3-E1 osteoblast-like cells were evaluated by studying cell viability, adhesion and proliferation. The CCK-8 assay shows that cell viability on the resulting G-CS-PVP/BG scaffold is improved obviously after cross-linking of genipin. Cell skeleton images exhibit that well-stretched F-actin bundles are obtained on the G-CS-PVP/BG scaffold. SEM results present significant improvement on the cell adhesion and proliferation for cells cultured on the G-CS-PVP/BG scaffold. The drug release performance on the as-synthesized scaffold was studied in a phosphate buffered saline (PBS) solution. Vancomycin is found to be released in burst fashion within 24 h from the pristine BG scaffold, however, the release period from the G-CS-PVP/BG scaffold is enhanced to 7 days, indicating improved drug release properties of the G-CS-PVP/BG scaffold. Our results suggest that the G-CS-PVP/BG scaffolds possess promising physicochemical properties, sustained drug release capability and good biocompatibility for MC3T3-E1 cells' proliferation and adhesion, suggesting their potential applications in areas such as MC3T3-E1 cell stimulation and bone tissue engineering.
Keywords: 45S5 Bioglass®; Chitosan; Drug release; MC3T3-E1 cells; Polyvinyl pyrrolidone; Scaffolds

Multifunctional Chitosan Scaffold Platforms Loaded with Natural Polyphenolic Extracts for Wound Dressing Applications - Borges-Vilches, Jessica; Ünalan, Irem; Aguayo, Claudio R.; Fernández, Katherina; Boccaccini, Aldo R. (Biomacromolecules, 2023)
Chitosan (CS)-based scaffolds loaded with Pinus radiata extract bark (PE) and grape seed extract (GSE) were successfully developed for wound dressing applications. The effects of incorporating GSE and PE in CS scaffolds were investigated in relation to their physicochemical and biological properties. All scaffolds exhibited porous structures with the ability to absorb more than 70 times their weight when contacted with blood and phosphate buffer solution. The incorporation of GSE and PE into the CS scaffolds increased their blood absorption ability and degradation rates over time. All scaffolds showed a clotting ability above 95%, with their surfaces being favorable for red blood cell attachment. Both GSE and PE were released from the CS scaffolds in a sustained manner. Scaffolds loaded with GSE and PE inhibited the bacterial activity of S. aureus and E. coli by 40% and 44% after 24 h testing. In vitro cell viability studies demonstrated that all scaffolds were nontoxic to HaCaT cells. Importantly, the addition of GSE and PE further increased cell viability compared to that of the CS scaffold. This study provides a new synthesis method to immobilize GSE and PE on CS scaffolds, enabling the formation of novel material platforms with a high potential for wound dressing applications.
CRIS-Team Scopus Importer:2023-12-08

Multi-functional P(3HB) microsphere/45S5 Bioglass®-based composite scaffolds for bone tissue engineering - Boccaccini, Aldo R.; et al. (Acta Biomaterialia, 2010)
Keywords: Bioactive glass; Drug delivery; Poly(3-hydroxybutyrate); Scaffolds; Tissue engineering

Multifunctional scaffolds for bone tissue engineering and in situ drug delivery - Mouriño, V.; Cattalini, J. P.; Li, Wenjie; Boccaccini, Aldo R.; Lucangioli, S. (Elsevier Inc., 2014)
This chapter provides an overview about the development of bone tissue engineering scaffolds with the ability to provide the controlled delivery of therapeutic drugs. Typical drugs considered include gentamicin and other antibiotics generally used to combat osteomyelitis as well as anti-inflammatory drugs and bisphosphonates. Special attention has been given to the technology used for controlling the release of the loaded drugs. A detailed summary of drugs included in bone tissue scaffolds is presented and the many approaches developed to combine organic and inorganic biomaterials in composites for drug-delivery systems are discussed. The remaining challenges in the field are summarized, suggesting also future research directions.
CRIS-Team Scopus Importer:2022-08-05
Keywords: Bone tissue engineering; Drug delivery; Multifunctional scaffolds; Therapeutic drugs

Multi-functional silica-based mesoporous materials for simultaneous delivery of biologically active ions and therapeutic biomolecules - Zhu, Hui; Zheng, Kai; Boccaccini, Aldo R. (Acta Biomaterialia, 2021)
Mesoporous silica-based materials, especially mesoporous bioactive glasses (MBGs), are being highly considered for biomedical applications, including drug delivery and tissue engineering, not only because of their bioactivity and biocompatibility but also due to their tunable composition and potential use as drug delivery carriers owing to their controllable nanoporous structure. Numerous researches have reported that MBGs can be doped with various therapeutic ions (strontium, copper, magnesium, zinc, lithium, silver, etc.) and loaded with specific biomolecules (e.g., therapeutic drugs, antibiotics, growth factors) achieving controllable loading and release kinetics. Therefore, co-delivery of ions and biomolecules using a single MBG carrier is highly interesting as this approach provides synergistic effects toward improved therapeutic outcomes in comparison to the strategy of sole drug or ion delivery. In this review, we discuss the state-of-the-art in the field of mesoporous silica-based materials used for co-delivery of ions and therapeutic drugs with osteogenesis/cementogenesis, angiogenesis, antibacterial and anticancer properties. The analysis of the literature reveals that specially designed mesoporous nanocarriers can release multiple ions and drugs at therapeutically safe and relevant levels, achieving the desired biological effects (in vivo, in vitro) for specific biomedical applications. It is expected that this review on the ion/drug co-delivery concept using MBG carriers will shed light on the advantages of such co-delivery systems for clinical use. Areas for future research directions are identified and discussed. Statement of significance: Many studies in literature focus on the potential of single drug or ion delivery by mesoporous silica-based materials, exploiting the bioactivity, biocompatibility, tunable composition and controllable nanoporosity of these materials. Recenlty, studies have adopted the “dual-delivery” concept, by designing multi-functional mesoporous silica-based systems which are capable to deliver both biologically active ions and biomolecules (growth factors, drugs) simultaneously in order to achieve synergy of their complementary therapeutic activities. This review summarizes the state of the art in the field, with focus on osteogenesis/cementogenesis, angiogenesis, antibacterial and anticancer properties, and discusses the challenges and prospects for further progress in this area, expecting to generate broader interest in the technology for applications in disease treatment and regenerative medicine.
CRIS-Team Scopus Importer:2021-07-16
Keywords: Drug delivery; Growth factor/protein delivery; Mesoporous bioactive glass; Therapeutic ions; Tissue regeneration

Multifunctional stratified composite coatings by electrophoretic deposition and RF co-sputtering for orthopaedic implants - Nawaz, Qaisar; Fastner, Steffen; Rehman, Muhammad Atiq Ur; Ferraris, Sara; Perero, Sergio; di Confiengo, G. Gautier; Yavuz, Emre; Ferraris, Monica; Boccaccini, Aldo R. (Journal of Materials Science, 2021)
In this study, multifunctional stratified antibacterial and bioactive coatings were deposited and characterised. Initially, PEEK/bioactive glass (BG)/ mesoporous bioactive glass nanoparticle (MBGN) layers with a thickness of 110–120 μm were deposited on stainless steel substrates using electrophoretic deposition (EPD). Thin silver nanocluster-silica composite layers with a thickness of 70–155 nm were then deposited by radio frequency (RF) co-sputtering on the previously deposited EPD coatings. The deposition was carried for two different sputtering times (20 min and 40 min), which led to different layer thicknesses. PEEK/BG/MBGNs coatings were also deposited via single-step EPD. A comparison between the physicomechanical and biological characteristics of single layer PEEK/BG/MBGNs composite coating and bilayer Ag-PEEK/BG/MBGNs is presented. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and energy-dispersive x-ray spectroscopy (EDX) indicated that silver nanoclusters were homogeneously distributed in the multilayered EPD/RF coatings. An apatite-like structure was formed on the surface of the coatings upon immersion in simulated body fluid (SBF) after 1 day. Silver nanoclusters embedded in the silica matrix as a top layer provided controlled release of silver ions which led to a potent antibacterial effect against E. coli and S. carnosus. Single layer coatings exhibited a burst release of Ag ions, which led to antibacterial effects but were toxic to osteoblast cells. Finally, the results of WST-8 assays confirmed that the multi-structured coatings allow osteoblast-like cells to proliferate and attach strongly on the surface of the coatings.
CRIS-Team Scopus Importer:2021-02-12

Multifunctional zinc ion doped sol – gel derived mesoporous bioactive glass nanoparticles for biomedical applications - Neščáková, Zuzana; Zheng, Kai; Liverani, Liliana; Nawaz, Qaisar; Galusková, Dagmar; Kaňková, Hana; Michálek, Martin; Galusek, Dušan; Boccaccini, Aldo R. (Bioactive Materials, 2019)
Mesoporous bioactive glasses have been widely investigated for applications in bone tissue regeneration and, more recently, in soft tissue repair and wound healing. In this study we produced mesoporous bioactive glass nanoparticles (MBGNs) based on the SiO2–CaO system. With the intention of adding subsidiary biological function, MBGNs were doped with Zn2+ ions. Zn-MBGNs with 8 mol% ZnO content were synthesized via microemulsion assisted sol-gel method. The synthesized particles were homogeneous in shape and size. They exhibited spherical shape, good dispersity, and a size of 130 ± 10 nm. The addition of zinc precursors did not affect the morphology of particles, while their specific surface area increased in comparison to MBGNs. The presence of Zn2+ ions inhibited the formation of hydroxycarbonate apatite (HCAp) on the particles after immersion in simulated body fluid (SBF). No formation of HCAp crystals on the surface of Zn-MBGNs could be observed after 14 days of immersion. Interestingly, powders containing relatively high amount of zinc released Zn2+ ions in low concentration (0.6–1.2 mg L−1) but in a sustained manner. This releasing feature enables Zn-MBGNs to avoid potentially toxic levels of Zn2+ ions, indeed Zn-MBGNs were seen to improve the differentiation of osteoblast-like cells (MG-63). Additionally, Zn-MBGNs showed higher ability to adsorb proteins in comparison to MBGNs, which could indicate a favourable later attachment of cells. Due to their advantageous morphological and physiochemical properties, Zn-MBGNs show great potential as bioactive fillers or drug delivery systems in a variety of applications including bone regeneration and wound healing.
CRIS-Team Scopus Importer:2019-11-01
Keywords: Bioactive glass; Bioactive particles; Bioactivity; Ion release; Sol-gel synthesis; Zinc

Multilayer coatings based on cerium oxide and manganese cobaltite spinel for Crofer22APU SOC interconnects - Zanchi, E.; Ignaczak, J.; Cempura, G.; Molin, S.; Boccaccini, Aldo R.; Smeacetto, F. (Materials Letters, 2024)
The application of protective coatings on stainless-steel interconnects can improve the durability of the metallic component in Solid Oxide Cell devices. In this work, we explored the possibility of producing multilayered coatings based on cerium oxide deposited by electrolytic deposition and manganese cobaltite spinel deposited by electrophoretic deposition. Obtained coatings were oxidized at 850 °C in air for 1000 h and the oxidation rate was calculated in the range of 10-14 g2cm-4s−1. The morphological evolution of the oxide scale and the coating system after oxidation revealed that the ceria particles were located at the boundaries between the grains of the reaction layer and those of the MCO coating, as assessed by FESEM and TEM characterizations.
CRIS-Team Scopus Importer:2023-10-27
Keywords: Coating; Electrophoretic deposition; Interconnect; Solid Oxide Cell

Multilayered drug delivery coatings composed of daidzein-loaded PHBV microspheres embedded in a biodegradable polymer matrix by electrophoretic deposition - Chen, Qiang; Li, Wei; Yao, Qingqing; Liang, Ruifang; Pérez-Garcia, Rosalina; Munoz, Josemari; Boccaccini, Aldo R. (Journal of Materials Chemistry B, 2016)

Multilayered scaffolds for interface tissue engineering applications - Liverani, Liliana; Boccaccini, Aldo R. (Electrofluidodynamic Technologies (EFDTs) for Biomaterials and Medical Devices, 2018)
Interface tissue engineering (ITE) deals with the fabrication of complex graded scaffolds for the regeneration of injured areas at the interface of different tissues. During the scaffold design process the focus is oriented to the replication of the native healthy tissues' complexity. This complexity could be achieved by introducing in the scaffolds gradients of morphology, composition' and function. In the present book chapter an overview of the multilayered scaffolds fabricated for ITE applications is reported. The versatility of the electrospinning technique for the development of gradient scaffolds and its suitability to be integrated with other scaffold fabrication techniques allowed the development of complex constructs with promising results in terms of cells' response. Examples of applications in the orthopedic field and for skin regeneration are also reported.
CRIS-Team Scopus Importer:2022-08-05
Keywords: Electrospinning; Gradients; Interface tissue engineering; Multilayered scaffolds; Nanofibers

Multilayered Scaffolds for Osteochondral Tissue Engineering Based on Bioactive Glass and Biodegradable Polymers - Nooeaid, Patcharakamon (Friedrich-Alexander-Universität Erlangen-Nürnberg, 2014)

Multiple drug delivery hydrogel system for spinal cord injury repair strategies - Perale, Giuseppe; Rossi, Filippo; Santoro, Marco; Peviani, Marco; Papa, Simonetta; Llupi, Dorina; Torriani, Paola; Micotti, Edoardo; Previdi, Sara; Cervo, Luigi; Sundstrom, Erik; Boccaccini, Aldo R.; et al. (Journal of Controlled Release, 2012)
The multifactorial pathological progress of spinal cord injury (SCI) is probably the main reason behind the absence of efficient therapeutic approaches. Hence, very recent highlights suggest the use of new multidrug delivery systems capable of local controlled release of therapeutic agents. In this work, a biocompatible hydrogel-based system was developed as multiple drug delivery tool, specifically designed for SCI repair strategies. Multiple release profiles were achieved by loading gel with a combination of low and high steric hindrance molecules. In vitro, in vivo and ex vivo release studies showed an independent combination of fast diffusion-controlled kinetics for smaller molecules together with slow diffusion-controlled kinetics for bigger ones. A preserved functionality of loaded substances was always achieved, confirming the absence of any chemical stable interactions between gel matrix and loaded molecules. Moreover, the relevant effect of the cerebrospinal fluid flux dynamics on the drug diffusion in the spinal cord tissue was here revealed for the first time: an oriented delivery of the released molecules in the spinal cord tract caudally to the gel site is demonstrated, thus suggesting a more efficient gel positioning rostrally to the lesion. © 2011 Elsevier B.V.
UnivIS-Import:2015-03-09:Pub.2012.tech.IW.LM.multip
Keywords: Drug release; Hydrogel; Polymer; Spinal cord injury

Multi-targeted B and Co co-doped 45S5 bioactive glasses with angiogenic potential for bone regeneration - Chen, Si; Michálek, Martin; Galusková, Dagmar; Michálková, Monika; Švančárek, Peter; Talimian, Ali; Kaňková, Hana; Kraxner, Jozef; Zheng, Kai; Liverani, Liliana; Galusek, Dušan; Boccaccini, Aldo R. (Materials Science and Engineering C, 2020)
Many elements, such as copper, cobalt (Co), strontium, magnesium and boron (B) have been used for single or multiple doping of bioactive glasses to promote angiogenesis during bone regeneration. However, few works have focused on promoting angiogenesis through stimulating several different signalling pathways which can be called a multi-target approach. In this study, 45S5 bioactive glass (BG) co-doped with B and Co was prepared by conventional melt quenching method. The synergistic effect of the two co-doping elements on angiogenesis promotion was expected. ATR-Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy and inductively coupled plasma-optical emission spectrometry were used to characterize the composition, element distribution and ion release of the samples, respectively. Results showed that the compositions of all samples were consistent with the design compositions and all elements were homogeneously distributed in the bulk glass. Different contents of B and Co led to different release rates of these elements. All samples showed bioactivity after immersion in simulated body fluid, regardless of the amount of doped B and Co. The 1% and 0.1% extracts of all samples did not show any cytotoxicity to MG-63 and ST-2 cells. Compared with single B or Co doping, the B and Co dual doped sample led to a stronger increase of the secretion of vascular endothelial growth factor from ST-2 cells, which supports and confirms the synergistic effect on angiogenesis of B and Co as co-doping elements in 45S5 BG.
CRIS-Team Scopus Importer:2020-04-17
Keywords: Angiogenesis; Bioactive glass; Bone regeneration; Boron; Cobalt

Multi-walled carbon nanotube-reinforced hydroxyapatite layers on Ti6Al4V medical implants by electrophoretic deposition (EPD) - Kaya, Cengiz; Singh, Inderjeet; Boccaccini, Aldo R. (Advanced Engineering Materials, 2008)
Metallic implants such as Ti6Al4V are coated with bio-active materials such as multi-walled carbon nanotube (MWCNT)-reinforced hydroxyapatite (HA) layers by electrophoretic deposition (EPD), for encouraging the in-growth of natural bone into the prosthetic device. The deposition mass and thickness can be controlled by altering the particle concentration of the suspension, the applied field, and the deposition time. Monolithic HA and MWCNTs containing HA layers are not found to show surface microcracking after drying and sintering. The bond strength between HA coatings and the metallic substrate is significantly increased by the addition of MWCNTs. Microstructural observations indicate that MWCNTs within the sintered HA layer prevent peeling of the coating layers by acting as reinforcement network and therefore a crack deflection toughening mechanism could be operational in these composites.
UnivIS-Import:2015-03-09:Pub.2008.tech.IW.LM.multiw

Mussel-Inspired Polydopamine Composite Mesoporous Bioactive Glass Nanoparticles: An Exploration of Potential Metal-Ion Loading Platform and In Vitro Bioactivity - Sui, Baiyan; Xu, Zhiyan; Xue, Zhiyu; Xiang, Yong; Zhou, Tian; Beltrán, Ana M.; Zheng, Kai; Liu, Xin; Boccaccini, Aldo R. (ACS Applied Materials and Interfaces, 2023)
Exploring new approaches to realize the possibility of incorporating biologically active elements into mesoporous silicate bioactive glass nanoparticles (MBG NPs) and guaranteeing their meso- structural integrity and dimensional stability has become an attractive and interesting challenge in biomaterials science. We present a postgrafting strategy for introducing different metal elements into MBG NPs. This strategy is mediated by polydopamine (PDA) coating, achieving uniform loading of copper or copper-cobalt on the particles efficiently and ensuring the stability of MBG NPs in terms of particle size, mesoporous structure, and chemical structure. However, the PDA coating reduced the ion-binding free energy of the MBG NPs for calcium and phosphate ions, resulting in the deposition of minimal CaP clusters on the PDA@MBG NP surface when immersed for 7 days in simulated body fluid, indicating the absence of hydroxyapatite mineralization.
CRIS-Team Scopus Importer:2023-07-07
Keywords: biomineralization; mesoporous bioactive glass; metal-ion loading; molecular dynamics simulation; polydopamine coating

Mussel-inspired polydopamine decorated alginate dialdehyde-gelatin 3D printed scaffolds for bone tissue engineering application - Ghorbani, Farnaz; Minjoo, Kim; Monavari, Mahshid; Ghalandari, Behafarid; Boccaccini, Aldo R. (Frontiers in Bioengineering and Biotechnology, 2022)
This study utilized extrusion-based 3D printing technology to fabricate calcium-cross-linked alginate dialdehyde-gelatin scaffolds for bone regeneration. The surface of polymeric constructs was modified with mussel-derived polydopamine (PDA) in order to induce biomineralization, increase hydrophilicity, and enhance cell interactions. Microscopic observations revealed that the PDA layer homogeneously coated the surface and did not appear to induce any distinct change in the microstructure of the scaffolds. The PDA-functionalized scaffolds were more mechanically stable (compression strength of 0.69 & PLUSMN; 0.02 MPa) and hydrophilic (contact angle of 26) than non-modified scaffolds. PDA-decorated ADA-GEL scaffolds demonstrated greater durability. As result of the 18-days immersion in simulated body fluid solution, the PDA-coated scaffolds showed satisfactory biomineralization. Based on theoretical energy analysis, it was shown that the scaffolds coated with PDA interact spontaneously with osteocalcin and osteomodulin (binding energy values of -35.95 kJ mol(-1) and -46.39 kJ mol(-1), respectively), resulting in the formation of a protein layer on the surface, suggesting applications in bone repair. PDA-coated ADA-GEL scaffolds are capable of supporting osteosarcoma MG-63 cell adhesion, viability (140.18% after 7 days), and proliferation. In addition to increased alkaline phosphatase secretion, osteoimage intensity also increased, indicating that the scaffolds could potentially induce bone regeneration. As a consequence, the present results confirm that 3D printed PDA-coated scaffolds constitute an intriguing novel approach for bone tissue engineering.
CRIS-Team WoS Importer:2022-09-02

Mussel-inspired polydopamine decorated silane modified-electroconductive gelatin-PEDOT:PSS scaffolds for bone regeneration - Adler, Catalina; Monavari, Mahshid; Abraham, Gustavo A.; Boccaccini, Aldo R.; Ghorbani, Farnaz (RSC Advances, 2023)
This study seeks to simulate both the chemistry and piezoelectricity of bone by synthesizing electroconductive silane-modified gelatin-poly(3,4-ethylenedioxythiophene) polystyrene sulfonate (PEDOT:PSS) scaffolds using the freeze drying technique. In order to enhance hydrophilicity, cell interaction, and biomineralization, the scaffolds were functionalized with polydopamine (PDA) inspired by mussels. Physicochemical, electrical, and mechanical analyses were conducted on the scaffolds, as well as in vitro evaluations using the osteosarcoma cell line MG-63. It was found that scaffolds had interconnected porous structures, so the PDA layer formation reduced the size of pores while maintaining scaffold uniformity. PDA functionalization reduced the electrical resistance of the constructs while improving their hydrophilicity, compressive strength, and modulus. As a result of the PDA functionalization and the use of silane coupling agents, higher stability and durability were achieved as well as an improvement in biomineralization capability after being soaked in SBF solution for a month. Additionally, the PDA coating enabled the constructs to enhance viability, adhesion, and proliferation of MG-63 cells, as well as to express alkaline phosphatase and deposit HA, indicating that scaffolds can be used for bone regeneration. Therefore, the PDA-coated scaffolds developed in this study and the non-toxic performance of PEDOT:PSS present a promising approach for further in vitro and in vivo studies.
CRIS-Team WoS Importer:2023-06-02

Myocardial tissue engineering: a review - Jawad, H.; Ali, N. N.; Lyon, A. R.; Chen, Q. Z.; Harding, S. E.; Boccaccini, Aldo R. (Journal of Tissue Engineering and Regenerative Medicine, 2007)
Myocardial tissue engineering, a concept that intends to overcome the obstacles to prolonging patients' life after myocardial infarction, is continuously improving. It comprises a biomaterial based 'vehicle', either a porous scaffold or dense patch, made of either natural or synthetic polymeric materials, to aid transportation of cells into the diseased region in the heart. Many different cell types have been suggested for cell therapy and myocardial tissue engineering. These include both autologous and embryonic stem cells, both having their advantages and disadvantages. Biomaterials suggested for this specific tissue-engineering application need to be biocompatible with the cardiac cells and have particular mechanical properties matching those of native myocardium, so that the delivered donor cells integrate and remain intact in vivo. Although much research is being carried out, many questions still remain unanswered requiring further research efforts. In this review, we discuss the various approaches reported in the field of myocardial tissue engineering, focusing on the achievements of combining biomaterials and cells by various techniques to repair the infarcted region, also providing an insight on clinical trials and possible cell sources in cell therapy. Alternative suggestions to myocardial tissue engineering, in situ engineering and left ventricular devices are also discussed. © 2007 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
UnivIS-Import:2015-03-09:Pub.2007.tech.IW.LM.myocar
Keywords: Biomaterials; Cell therapy; Myocardial infarction; Scaffolds; Tissue engineering

Myocardial tissue engineering - Chen, Q. Z.; Harding, S. E.; Rai, Ranjana; Boccaccini, Aldo R. (Elsevier Inc., 2014)
In the pursuit of engineering a functional myocardium, studies integrating highly innovative research in stem cells and biomaterials development have opened new frontiers. Stringent properties like biocompatibility, ability to foster cells, biodegradability and mechanical compliance have been the norm for material selection. Fabrication techniques implemented individually or in conjunction have been used to fabricate scaffolds that best mimic the anisotropic nature of the cardiac extracellular matrix (ECM). Such biomimetic scaffolds provide topographical cues for contact guidance to align cells required to achieve synchronous electrophysiological coupling of the engineered myocardium to the native heart. Various functionalization strategies in tandem with scaffold fabrication designs and bioreactor studies have been undertaken to achieve vascularization in the engineered cardiac construct.
CRIS-Team Scopus Importer:2022-08-05
Keywords: Biocompatibility; Biomaterials; Myocardial tissue engineering (MTE); Stem cells; Vascularization

Myogenic differentiation of primary myoblasts and mesenchymal stromal cells under serum-free conditions on PCL-collagen I-nanoscaffolds - Arkudas, Andreas; Weigand, Annika; Beier, Justus; Horch, Raymund E.; Hardt, Moritz; Schneider, Paul; Schmid, Rafael; Lange, Claudia; Dippold, Dirk; Schubert, Dirk W.; Boos, Anja; Cai, Aijia (BMC Biotechnology, 2018)
The creation of functional skeletal muscle via tissue engineering holds great promise without sacrificing healthy donor tissue. Different cell types have been investigated regarding their myogenic differentiation potential under the influence of various media supplemented with growth factors. Yet, most cell cultures include the use of animal sera, which raises safety concerns and might lead to variances in results. Electrospun nanoscaffolds represent suitable matrices for tissue engineering of skeletal muscle, combining both biocompatibility and stability. We therefore aimed to develop a serum-free myogenic differentiation medium for the co-culture of primary myoblasts (Mb) and mesenchymal stromal cells derived from the bone marrow (BMSC) and adipose tissue (ADSC) on electrospun poly-ε-caprolacton (PCL)-collagen I-nanofiber
Keywords: Nanoscaffolds; Myogenic differentiation; Myoblasts; Mesenchymal stromal cells; Serum-free media; BMSC; Electrospun PCL-collagen I-nanofibers; ADSC

Nanocomposite coatings obtained by electrophoretic co-deposition of poly(etheretherketone)/graphene oxide suspensions - González Castillo, Eduin Ivan; Costantini, Tommaso; Shaffer, Milo S. P.; Boccaccini, Aldo R. (Journal of Materials Science, 2020)
Nanocomposite coatings were successfully prepared by electrophoretic deposition of poly(etheretherketone) (PEEK)/graphene oxide (GO) suspensions. The GO flakes developed a large-scale co-continuous morphology with the basal plane mainly aligned with the coating surface. However, the PEEK particles were also found to be wrapped by GO nanosheets when deposited on the stainless steel substrate. Both phenomena, the co-continuous morphology and the wrapping effect, were dependent on the initial GO content in the suspension and influenced the final morphological characteristics of the thermally treated coatings. The PEEK matrix developed a dendritic morphology during its cooling from the molten state because of transcrystallinity that was induced by the incorporation of GO. The preparation of suspensions involved tip ultrasonication (TS) to deagglomerate, disperse, and mill the PEEK particles. A detailed study of the microstructure revealed that TS tended not only to reduce PEEK particle size, but also to promote an elongated shape, favourable for the nanocomposite coatings.
CRIS-Team WoS Importer:2020-05-05

Nanocomposite Elastomeric Biomaterials for Myocardial Tissue Engineering Using Embryonic Stem Cell-derived Cardiomyocytes - Jawad, Hedeer; El Fray, Miroslawa; Boccaccini, Aldo R.; Harding, Sian E.; Wright, Jamie S.; Chen, Qizhi; Piegat, Agnieszka; Ali, Nadire N. (Advanced Engineering Materials, 2010)
Regeneration or repair of the damaged myocardium requires different strategies including engineered constructs for more efficient cell delivery. This study was undertaken to examine the potential of a new nanostructured elastomer to deliver embryonic stem cell-derived cardiomyocytes (ESC-CM) to an infarcted area of the myocardium. Engineered materials were biocompatible, mechanically stable, and elastomeric nanocomposites serving as substrates for delivery of ESC-CM and as a left ventricular support device in myocardial regeneration strategies. Materials investigated were soft and strong poly(aliphatic/aromatic-ester) multiblock thermoplastic elastomers with poly(ethylene terephthalate) (PET) hard segments and dimerized fatty acid, i.e., dilinoleic acid (DLA) soft segments, respectively, with and without addition of 0.2 wt% TiO2 nanoparticles to form nanocomposites. The PET/DLA-TiO2 nanocomposite exhibited over 8 MPa tensile strength and 900% elongation at break. Addition of TiO2 nanoparticles significantly altered surface roughness and enhanced adhesion and spreading of ESC-CM derived from mouse and human embryonic stem cells. The newly developed materials did not affect the functional activity of spontaneously beating hESC-CM, as demonstrated by unaltered rate of their beating, and the cells continued to demonstrate contractile activity on the materials for more than two months in culture (the longest time tested). Quantitative proliferation and survival assays using fibroblasts confirmed the ability of the new materials to support cells as well as or better than the present commercial-type thermoplastic elastomer analog. The results indicate that PET/DLA and PET/DLA-TiO2 are promising candidates for the manufacture of engineered patches to deliver ESC-CMs. © 2010 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA.
UnivIS-Import:2015-03-09:Pub.2010.tech.IW.LM.nanoco
Keywords: cardiac patch; embryonic stem cells; myocardial tissue engineering; nanocomposite; thermoplastic elastomer

Nanocomposite electrospun fibers of poly(ε-caprolactone)/bioactive glass with shape memory properties - Liverani, Liliana; Liguori, Anna; Zezza, Paola; Gualandi, Chiara; Toselli, Maurizio; Boccaccini, Aldo R.; Focarete, Maria Letizia (Bioactive Materials, 2022)
Electrospun fibers of shape memory triethoxysilane-terminated poly(epsilon-caprolactone) (PCL-TES) loaded with bioactive glasses (BG) are here presented. Unloaded PCL-TES, as well as PCL/BG nanocomposite fibers, are also considered for comparison. It is proposed that hydrolysis and condensation reactions take place between triethoxysilane groups of the polymer and the silanol groups at the BG particle surface, thus generating additional crosslinking points with respect to those present in the PCL-TES system. The as-spun PCL-TES/BG fibers display excellent shape memory properties, in terms of shape fixity and shape recovery ratios, without the need of a thermal crosslinking treatment. BG particles confer in vitro bioactivity to PCL-based nanocomposite fibers and favor the precipitation of hydroxycarbonate apatite on the fiber surface. Preliminary cytocompatibility tests demonstrate that the addition of BG particles to PCL-based polymer does not inhibit ST-2 cell viability. This novel approach of using bioactive glasses not only for their biological properties, but also for the enhancement of shape memory properties of PCL-based polymers, widens the versatility and suitability of the obtained composite fibers for a huge portfolio of biomedical applications.
CRIS-Team Scopus Importer:2021-12-17
Keywords: Benign solvents; Bioactive glasses; Bioactivity; Electrospinning; PCL-TES; Shape memory polymers

Nanocomposite scaffolds with tunable mechanical and degradation capabilities: Co-delivery of bioactive agents for bone tissue engineering - Cattalini, Juan P.; Roether, Judith; Hoppe, Alexander; Pishbin, Fatemeh; Haro Durand, Luis; Gorustovich, Alejandro; Boccaccini, Aldo R.; Lucangioli, Silvia; Mourino, Viviana (Biomedical Materials, 2016)
Keywords: alendronate delivery; bone tissue engineering; controlled and sustainable release; ions; nanocomposite scaffolds

Nanofiber composites in bone tissue engineering - Liverani, Liliana; Roether, Judith; Boccaccini, Aldo R. (Elsevier Inc., 2017)
Keywords: Bioactive glass; Bioactivity; Bone tissue engineering; Electrospinning; Hydroxyapatite; In vivo model; Nanocomposites; Nanofibers

Nanofibrous Composite with Tailorable Electrical and Mechanical Properties for Cardiac Tissue Engineering - Roshanbinfar, Kaveh; Vogt, Lena; Ruther, Florian; Roether, Judith; Boccaccini, Aldo R.; Engel, Felix (Advanced Functional Materials, 2019)
Cardiac tissue engineering is a promising strategy to prevent functional deterioration or even to enhance cardiac function upon myocardial infarction. Here, electrospun fiber mats containing different combinations of electrically conductive polyaniline, collagen, and/or hyaluronic acid are assessed regarding material properties and compatibility with cardiomyocyte attachment and function. Microstructure analysis reveals that collagen fiber mats contain a wide range of fiber diameters after crosslinking (from ≈300 nm to ≈5 µm); all other fiber mats contain fibers in the range of ≈120 to ≈300 nm. Fiber mats exhibit comparable electrical conductivity to and greater mechanical properties than the native human myocardium, which is considered beneficial. Cell–matrix interaction analysis utilizing postnatal rat cardiomyocytes reveals that the fiber mats are non-cytotoxic and permit cell attachment and contraction. Fiber mats containing collagen (9.89%), hyaluronic acid (1.1%), and polyaniline (PANi, 1.34%) exhibit the most favorable properties with longer contraction time, higher contractile amplitude, and lower beating rates. Improved contraction is accompanied by increased connexin 43 expression. Importantly, this fiber mat is a suitable material for human-induced pluripotent stem cell–derived cardiomyocytes regarding cytotoxicity, cell attachment, and function. Collectively, these data demonstrate that fiber mats made of collagen, hyaluronic acid, and polyaniline are promising materials for cardiac tissue engineering.
CRIS-Team Scopus Importer:2019-12-31
Keywords: collagen; electroconductive; electrospinning; heart; hyaluronic acid; polyaniline; tissue engineering

Nanofibrous membranes as smart wound dressings that release antibiotics when an injury is infected - Rivero, G.; Meuter, M.; Pepe, A.; Guevara, M. G.; Boccaccini, Aldo R.; Abraham, G. A. (Colloids and Surfaces A-Physicochemical and Engineering Aspects, 2020)
Simple and coaxial electrospinning were used for the preparation of nanofibers containing antibiotic. The use of a pH-sensitive polymer provided the membranes with a selective releasing capability, as a function of the environmental pH. Considering that pH increases as a consequence of local wound infection, the acidity changes of the wound could act as a trigger for the onset of antibiotic treatment in an autonomous way. In this work, electrospun membranes capable of releasing nitrofurazone when there is a change in the acidity of the environment were designed and prepared. The electrospun nanomaterials were fabricated with polymers with selective solubility at pH values greater than 7 so that the active agent is released only in this condition. The use of these membranes as wound dressings would selectively trigger an antibiotic treatment according to the physiological pH of the wound, i.e. only when there are natural signs of infection. The behavior of the membranes was exhaustively studied in different pH media, as well as the membranes integrity and morphology. The nitrofurazone release profiles were measured in-vitro and the antibiotic capability was tested against bacteria.These pH-sensitive nanofibrous drug delivery carriers are proposed as smart wound dressings with remarkable potential for enlarging the therapeutic benefits during medical treatments, according to the physiological conditions of the damaged skin tissues, especially for burns or chronic wounds.
CRIS-Team Scopus Importer:2019-12-20
Keywords: Electrospinning; Nanofibrous membranes; pH-sensitive; Smart wound dressings

Nanoscale bioactive glass activates osteoclastic differentiation of RAW 264.7 cells - Detsch, Rainer; Rübner, Matthias; Strissel, Pamela; Mohn, Dirk; Strasser, Erwin; Stark, Wendelin J.; Strick, Reiner; Boccaccini, Aldo R. (Nanomedicine, 2016)
There is limited knowledge regarding differentiation of osteoclasts in the presence of nanoscale bioactive glass (nBG). This investigation examined increasing concentrations of 45S5 nBG and their influence on osteoclast differentiation.Different concentrations of 45S5 nBG were cultured up to 14 days with the murine RAW264.7 cell line and human primary monocytes cultured with M-CSF and RANKL.Culturing cells for 14 days with 500 ?g/ml nBG showed a viability of 100%; however DNA synthesis was reduced, supporting differentiation into osteoclast-like cells. Using RAW cells, activation of nine genes, including cell fusion genes, occurred in an nBG concentration dependent manner. Low concentrations of nBG increased expression of genes involved in commitment to cell fusion, whereas high concentrations increased gene expression supporting osteoclast-like differentiation.nBG enhances both RAW264.7 and human osteoclast differentiation. nBG controlled gene expression in a concentration dependent manner could reflect normal regulation during bone growth.
EVALuna2:15997

Nanoscale Bioactive Glasses in Medical Applications - Erol-Taygun, Melek; Zheng, Kai; Boccaccini, Aldo R. (International Journal of Applied Glass Science, 2013)
This review focuses on recent advances in the development and use of nanoscale silicate bioactive glasses for medical applications. In the context of materials for bone substitution, dental applications, and bone tissue engineering, nanoscale bioactive glasses have been gaining attention due to their expected superior osteoconductivity when compared with conventional (micrometer-sized) bioactive glass materials. A detailed overview of recent developments in the field of nanoscale bioactive glasses will be given, including a summary of common fabrication methods and diverse application areas which include tissue engineering scaffolds and coatings, drug delivery devices, and dentistry. The nanofeatures characteristic of this type of bioactive glasses and the possibilities to expand their use in biomedical applications (nanomedicine) are highlighted. © 2013 The American Ceramic Society and Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
UnivIS-Import:2015-03-09:Pub.2013.tech.IW.LM.nanosc

Nanoscaled bioactive glass particles and nanofibers - Taygun, M. Erol; Boccaccini, Aldo R. (Elsevier Inc., 2017)
Nanoscale bioactive glasses of silicate composition are gaining increasing attention due to their superior bioactivity, enhanced osteoconductivity and antibacterial properties when compared to conventional (micron-sized) bioactive glasses. In this Chapter, we present an overview of the technology, characterization, and applications of nanoparticle and nanofibrous bioactive silicate glasses. Novel fabrication technologies are presented, covering sol-gel routes, microemulsion techniques, gas phase synthesis method (flame spray synthesis), laser spinning and electrospinning, and the synergistic effects that determine the final properties of these materials. The advantages of nanoscaled bioactive glasses compared to conventional bioactive glasses are also discussed based on available literature evidence. The focus of the Chapter is in the diverse application areas of nanoscale bioactive glasses ranging from tissue engineering scaffolds to drug delivery and dentistry, considering also polymer/bioactive glass nanocomposites as promising materials for implants, bone fillers, and bioactive coatings for orthopedic applications. The nanofeatures characteristic of this type of bioactive glasses are discussed and the possibilities to expand the use of these nanomaterials in other nanotechnology approaches aiming at advanced biomedical applications (nanomedicine) are also highlighted.
CRIS-Team Scopus Importer:2022-08-05
Keywords: Bioactive glass coatings; Bioactive glass nanofibers; Bioactive glass nanoparticles; Nanocomposites; Nanomedicine; Tissue engineering

Nanostructured biocomposites for tissue engineering scaffolds - Gritsch, Lukas; Meng, Decheng; Boccaccini, Aldo R. (Biomedical Composites, 2nd Edition, 2017)
An up-to-date discussion of the current state-of-the art in the field of processing 3D scaffolds with engineered nano-scale surface topography. Specific attention is paid to biocomposite structures that embed nano and submicrometric features on micro and macro three dimensionally patterned scaffolds.
Keywords: Scaffolds; Tissue Engineering; Nanocomposites; Surface Topography; Porosity

Nanostructured biomaterials embedding bioactive molecules - Galarraga-Vinueza, M. E.; Magini, R. S.; Henriques, Bruno; Teughels, W.; Fredel, M. C.; Hotza, Dachamir; Souza, Júlio C.M.; Boccaccini, Aldo R. (Elsevier Inc., 2018)
CRIS-Team Scopus Importer:2022-08-05

Nanostructured biomaterials for cranio-maxillofacial and oral applications - Souza, Júlio C.M.; Hotza, Dachamir; Henriques, Bruno; Boccaccini, Aldo R. (Elsevier Inc., 2018)
Nanostructured Biomaterials for Cranio-maxillofacial and Oral Applications examines the combined impact of materials science, biomedical and chemical engineering, and biology to provide enhanced biomaterials for applications in maxillo-facial rehabilitation and implantology. With a strong focus on a variety of material classes, it examines material processing and characterization techniques to decrease mechanical and biological failure in the human body. After an introduction to the field, the most commonly used materials for cranio-facial applications, including ceramics, polymers and glass ceramics are presented. The book then looks at nanostructured surfaces, functionally graded biomaterials and the manufacturing of nanostructured materials via 3-D printing. This book is a valuable resource for scientists, researchers and clinicians wishing to broaden their knowledge in this important and developing field.
CRIS-Team Scopus Importer:2022-08-05

Nanotechnologies in tissue engineering - Bigdeli, Amir K.; Lyer, Stefan; Detsch, Rainer; Boccaccini, Aldo R.; Beier, Justus; Kneser, Ulrich; Horch, Raymund E.; Arkudas, Andreas (Nanotechnology Reviews, 2013)
UnivIS-Import:2015-03-09:Pub.2013.tech.IW.LM.nanote

Nanotube array-based barium titanate-cobalt ferrite composite film for affordable magnetoelectric multiferroics - Kawamura, Go; Oura, Kentaro; Tan, Wai Kian; Goto, Taichi; Nakamura, Yuichi; Yokoe, Daisaku; Deepak, Francis Leonard; Hajraoui, Khalil El; Wei, Xing; Inoue, Mitsuteru; Muto, Hiroyuki; Yamaguchi, Kazuhiro; et al. (Journal of Materials Chemistry C, 2019)
Magnetoelectric multiferroic nanocomposites are increasingly attracting attention from researchers and engineers due to their transformative technological potential. Many papers have so far reported a fundamental understanding and designs of new multiferroic nanocomposites, and their potential applications. However, many challenges for establishing and expanding their applications remain, for example, the development of an affordable fabrication process for nanocomposites which show room temperature multiferroics with robust coupling between ferroelectricity and magnetism is one of the highest demands. In this work, an affordable liquid phase based method to fabricate a magnetoelectric multiferroic nanocomposite film is reported. Ferroelectric BaTiO3 (BTO) nanotube arrays are fabricated via anodization and hydrothermal treatment, and then spin-coated with ferrimagnetic CoFe2O4 (CFO) to obtain a BTO-CFO nanocomposite film. The film exhibits not only room-temperature multiferroicity but also perpendicular magnetic anisotropy.
CRIS-Team Scopus Importer:2019-08-27

Natural marine derived bioactive glass based scaffolds with improved functionalities - Boccardi, Elena (Friedrich-Alexander-Universität Erlangen-Nürnberg, 2016)

Nature-Derived and Synthetic Additives to poly(ɛ-Caprolactone) Nanofibrous Systems for Biomedicine; an Updated Overview - Homaeigohar, Shahin; Boccaccini, Aldo R. (Frontiers in Chemistry, 2022)
As a low cost, biocompatible, and bioresorbable synthetic polymer, poly (ɛ-caprolactone) (PCL) is widely used for different biomedical applications including drug delivery, wound dressing, and tissue engineering. An extensive range of in vitro and in vivo tests has proven the favourable applicability of PCL in biomedicine, bringing about the FDA approval for a plethora of PCL made medical or drug delivery systems. This popular polymer, widely researched since the 1970s, can be readily processed through various techniques such as 3D printing and electrospinning to create biomimetic and customized medical products. However, low mechanical strength, insufficient number of cellular recognition sites, poor bioactivity, and hydrophobicity are main shortcomings of PCL limiting its broader use for biomedical applications. To maintain and benefit from the high potential of PCL, yet addressing its physicochemical and biological challenges, blending with nature-derived (bio)polymers and incorporation of nanofillers have been extensively investigated. Here, we discuss novel additives that have been meant for enhancement of PCL nanofiber properties and thus for further extension of the PCL nanofiber application domain. The most recent researches (since 2017) have been covered and an updated overview about hybrid PCL nanofibers is presented with focus on those including nature-derived additives, e.g., polysaccharides and proteins, and synthetic additives, e.g., inorganic and carbon nanomaterials.
CRIS-Team Scopus Importer:2022-02-11
Keywords: additive; blend; core-shell; nanocomposite; polycaprolactone; tissue engineering; wound dressing

Neocellularization and neovascularization of nanosized bioactive glass-coated decellularized trabecular bone scaffolds - Gerhardt, L. -C.; Widdows, K. L.; Erol, M. M.; Nandakumar, A.; Roqan, I. S.; Ansari, T.; Boccaccini, Aldo R. (Journal of Biomedical Materials Research Part A, 2013)
In this study, the in vivo recellularization and neovascularization of nanosized bioactive glass (n-BG)-coated decellu-larized trabecular bone scaffolds were studied in a rat model and quantified using stereological analyses. Based on the highest amount of vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) secreted by human fibroblasts grown on n-BG coatings (0-1.245 mg/cm 2), decellularized trabecular bone samples (porosity: 43-81%) were coated with n-BG particles. Grown on n-BG particles at a coating density of 0.263 mg/cm2, human fibroblasts produced 4.3 times more VEGF than on uncoated controls. After 8 weeks of implantation in Sprague-Dawley rats, both uncoated and n-BG-coated samples were well infiltrated with newly formed tissue (47-48%) and blood vessels (3-4%). No significant differences were found in cellularization and vascularization between uncoated bone scaffolds and n-BG-coated scaffolds. This finding indicates that the decellularized bone itself may exhibit growth-promoting properties induced by the highly interconnected pore microarchitecture and/or proteins left behind on decellularized scaffolds. Even if we did not find proangiogenic effects in n-BG-coated bone scaffolds, a bioactive coating is considered to be beneficial to impart osteoinductive and osteoconductive properties to decellularized bone. n-BG-coated bone grafts have thus high clinical potential for the regeneration of complex tissue defects given their ability for recellularization and neovascularization. © 2012 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
UnivIS-Import:2015-03-09:Pub.2013.tech.IW.LM.neocel
Keywords: Angiogenesis; Bioactive glass; Coating; Decellularized bone; Scaffold; Stereology; Vascular endothelial growth factor; Vascularization

Neuronal differentiation from induced pluripotent stem cell-derived neurospheres by the application of oxidized alginate-gelatin-laminin hydrogels - Distler, Thomas; Lauria, Ines; Detsch, Rainer; Sauter, Clemens M.; Bendt, Farina; Kapr, Julia; Ruetten, Stephan; Boccaccini, Aldo R.; Fritsche, Ellen (Biomedicines, 2021)
Biodegradable hydrogels that promote stem cell differentiation into neurons in three di-mensions (3D) are highly desired in biomedical research to study drug neurotoxicity or to yield cell-containing biomaterials for neuronal tissue repair. Here, we demonstrate that oxidized alginate-gelatin-laminin (ADA-GEL-LAM) hydrogels facilitate neuronal differentiation and growth of em-bedded human induced pluripotent stem cell (hiPSC) derived neurospheres. ADA-GEL and ADA- GEL-LAM hydrogels exhibiting a stiffness close to 5 kPa at initial cell culture conditions of 37 °C were prepared. Laminin supplemented ADA-GEL promoted an increase in neuronal differentiation in comparison to pristine ADA-GEL, with enhanced neuron migration from the neurospheres to the bulk 3D hydrogel matrix. The presence of laminin in ADA-GEL led to a more than two-fold increase in the number of neurospheres with migrated neurons. Our findings suggest that laminin addition to oxidized alginate—gelatin hydrogel matrices plays a crucial role to tailor oxidized alginate-gela-tin hydrogels suitable for 3D neuronal cell culture applications.
CRIS-Team Scopus Importer:2021-04-02
Keywords: Bioprinting; Human induced pluripotent stem cells (hiPSC); Hydrogels; Laminin; Neurospheres; Oxidized alginate; Tissue engineering

New Insights Into Application Relevant Properties of Cu2+-Doped Brushite Cements - Späth, Karla; Nawaz, Qaisar; Schilling, Tatjana; Götz-Neunhoeffer, Friedlinde; Detsch, Rainer; Boccaccini, Aldo R.; Hurle, Katrin (Journal of Biomedical Materials Research Part B: Applied Biomaterials, 2024)
Doping of brushite cements with metal ions can entail many positive effects on biological and physicochemical properties. Cu2+ ions are known to exhibit antibacterial properties and can additionally have different positive effects on cells as trace elements, whereas high Cu2+ concentrations are cytotoxic. For therapeutical applications of bone cement, a combination of good biocompatibility and sufficient mechanical properties is required. Therefore, the aim of this study was to investigate different physicochemical and biological aspects, relevant for application, of a brushite cement with Cu2+-doped β-tricalcium phosphate, monocalcium phosphate monohydrate and phytic acid as setting retarder. Additionally, the ion release was compared with a cement with citric acid as setting retarder. The investigated cements showed good injectability coefficients, as well as compressive strength values sufficient for application. Furthermore, no antibacterial effects were detected irrespective of the Cu2+ concentration or the bacterial strain. The cell experiments with eluate samples showed that the viability of MC3T3-E1 cells tended to decrease with increasing Cu2+ concentration in the cement. It is suggested that these biological responses are caused by the difference in the Cu2+ release from the hardened cement depending on the solvent medium. Furthermore, the cements showed a steady release of Cu2+ ions to a lesser extent in comparison with a cement with citric acid as setting retarder, where a burst release of Cu2+ was observed. In conclusion, despite the anticipated antibacterial effect of Cu2+-doped cements was lacking and mammalian cell viability was slightly affected, Cu2+-concentrations maintained the physicochemical properties as well as the compressive strength of cements and the slow ion release from cements produced with phytic acid is considered advantageous compared to citric acid-based formulations.
CRIS-Team Scopus Importer:2024-09-13
Keywords: antibacterial properties; copper; cytotoxicity; ion doping; β-tricalcium phosphate

New insights into the crystallization process of sol-gel–derived 45S5 bioactive glass - Nawaz, Qaisar; de Pablos-Martín, Araceli; Martins de Souza e Silva, Juliana; Hurle, Katrin; Jaimes, Altair T.Contreras; Brauer, Delia S.; Boccaccini, Aldo R. (Journal of the American Ceramic Society, 2020)
In this work the influence of thermal treatment conditions was evaluated in a sol-gel-derived 45S5 bioactive glass using DSC, XRD, TEM, EDX, and X-ray nanocomputed tomography (nano-CT). Temperature and time of the thermal treatment strongly influence the composition of the crystalline phases. At the onset of the glass transition temperature (600°C), combeite crystallizes as the main phase along with a calcium silicate-phosphate phase, which decomposes into rhenanite from 2 hours of thermal treatment at this temperature. At the crystallization temperature (700°C), combeite remains as the main crystalline phase. Additionally, Na2Ca2Si2O7 crystalline phase is formed. Our results provide a basic platform for tailoring the crystalline phases by controlling the nucleation and growth of crystalline phases via thermal treatments. Different morphologies (round particles, stacked layers, toothpick-like, and long features) were discerned by TEM as a function of temperature and time of treatment. It is the first time that bioactive glass is investigated by X-ray nanocomputed tomography (nano-CT) at laboratory scale. This novel technique enables the 3D visualization of features in the nanometer range, giving a suggestion of the distribution in the sample of the parts composing the sample.
CRIS-Team Scopus Importer:2020-05-02
Keywords: bioactive glasses; crystallization behavior; Sol-gel

New N-(2-carboxybenzyl)chitosan composite scaffolds containing nanoTiO2 or bioactive glass with enhanced cell proliferation for bone-tissue engineering applications - Nerantzaki, Maria C; Koliakou, Iro G.; Kaloyianni, Martha G; Terzopoulou, Zoi N; Siska, Evangelia K.; Karakassides, Michalis A.; Boccaccini, Aldo R.; Bikiaris, Dimitrios (International Journal of Polymeric Materials and Polymeric Biomaterials, 2017)
Keywords: biocompatibility; bioglass 45S5; cells; composites; N-(2-Carboxybenzyl)chitosan; scaffolds; titania nanoparticles

Nitride, Zirconia, Alumina, and Carbide Coatings on Ti6Al4V Femoral Heads: Effect of Deposition Techniques on Mechanical and Tribological Properties - Ege, Duygu; Duru, Ilayda; Kamali, Ali Reza; Boccaccini, Aldo R. (Advanced Engineering Materials, 2017)

Noble metal free photocatalytic H2 generation on black TiO2: On the influence of crystal facets vs. crystal damage - Liu, Ning; Steinrueck, Hans-Georg; Osvet, Andres; Yang, Yuyun; Schmuki, Patrik (Applied Physics Letters, 2017)
In this study, we investigate noble metal free photocatalytic water splitting on natural anatase single crystal facets and on wafer slices of the [001] plane before and after these surfaces have been modified by high pressure hydrogenation and hydrogen ion-implantation. We find that on the natural, intact low index planes, photocatalytic H2 evolution (in the absence of a noble metal co-catalyst) can only be achieved when the hydrogenation treatment is accompanied by the introduction of crystal damage, such as simple scratching and miscut in the crystal, or by implantation damage. X-ray reflectivity, Raman, and optical reflection measurements show that plain hydrogenation leads to a ≈ 1 nm thick black titania surface layer without activity, while a colorless, density modified, and ≈7 nm thick layer with broken crystal symmetry is present on the ion implanted surface. These results demonstrate that (i) the H-treatment of an intact anatase surface needs to be combined with defect formation for catalytic activation and (ii) activation does not necessarily coincide with the presence of black color.<br

Non-crystalline composite tissue engineering scaffolds using boron-containing bioactive glass and poly(D,L-lactic acid) coatings - Boccaccini, Aldo R.; et al. (Biomedical Materials, 2009)
The aim of this study was the fabrication of three-dimensional, highly porous, bioactive scaffolds using a recently developed bioactive glass powder, denominated '0106', with nominal composition (in wt%): 50 SiO2, 22.6 CaO, 5.9 Na2O, 4 P2O5, 12 K2O, 5.3 MgO and 0.2 B2O3. The optimum sintering conditions for the fabrication of scaffolds by the foam-replica method were identified (sintering temperature: 670 °C and dwell time: 5 h). Composite samples were also fabricated by applying a biopolymer coating of poly(D,L-lactic acid) (PDLLA) using a dip coating process. The average compressive strength values were 0.4 MPa for uncoated and 0.6 MPa for coated scaffolds. In vitro bioactivity studies in simulated body fluid (SBF) showed that a carbonate hydroxyapatite (HCAp) layer was deposited on uncoated and coated scaffolds after only 4 days of immersion in SBF, demonstrating the high in vitro bioactivity of the scaffolds. It was also confirmed that the scaffold structure remained amorphous (no crystallization) after the specific heat treatment used, with scaffolds exhibiting mechanical properties and bioactivity suitable for use in bone tissue engineering applications. © 2009 IOP Publishing Ltd.
UnivIS-Import:2015-03-09:Pub.2009.tech.IW.LM.noncry

Non-immunogenic dextran-coated superparamagnetic iron oxide nanoparticles: a biocompatible, size-tunable contrast agent for magnetic resonance imaging - Unterweger, Harald; Janko, Christina; Schwarz, Marc; Dezsi, Laszlo; Urbanics, Rudolf; Matuszak, Jasmin; Orfi, Erik; Fülöp, Tamás; Bäuerle, Tobias; Szebeni, Janos; Journe, Clement; Boccaccini, Aldo R.; et al. (International Journal of Nanomedicine, 2017)

Novel approach for the assessment of ovarian follicles infiltration in polymeric electrospun patterned scaffolds - Raffel, Nathalie; Dittrich, Ralf; Bäuerle, Tobias; Seyler, Lisa; Amir, Fattahi; Hoffmann, Inge; Leal-Egaña, Aldo; Beckmann, Matthias; Boccaccini, Aldo R.; Liverani, Liliana (PLoS ONE, 2019)
Reproductive tissue engineering (REPROTEN) has been recently defined as the application of the tissue engineering approach targeting reproductive organs and several research works are focusing on this novel strategy. Being still an innovative field, most of the scaffold characterization techniques suitable for other tissue targets give inappropriate results, and there is the need to evaluate and investigate novel approaches. In particular the focus of this paper is the evaluation of the infiltration of ovarian follicles inside patterned electrospun scaffolds. Beyond the standard techniques, for the first time the use of magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) for this purpose is proposed and specific protocols for scaffold preparation are reported. Positive results in terms of evaluation of scaffolds incorporating follicles confirm this technique as highly effective for further applications in this field.
CRIS-Team Scopus Importer:2019-05-17

Novel approach towards aligned PCL-Collagen nanofibrous constructs from a benign solvent system - Dippold, Dirk; Cai, Aijia; Hardt, Moritz; Boccaccini, Aldo R.; Horch, Raymund E.; Beier, Justus; Schubert, Dirk W. (Materials Science and Engineering C, 2017)
Keywords: Aligned nanofibers; Benign solvent; Collagen; Electrospinning; Polycaprolactone

Novel bioassay to evaluate biocompatibility of bioactive glass scaffolds for tissue engineering - Boccaccini, Aldo R.; et al. (Advances in Applied Ceramics, 2008)
The aim of the present study was to investigate a novel ex ovo bioassay for the first time using the chick embryo chorioallantoic membrane (CAM) for testing tissue engineering bioceramic scaffolds. Bioglass based scaffolds with porosity in the range of 90-95% were fabricated using the foam replica technique and sintering at 1100°C for 1 h. Scaffolds (5 × 5 × 2 mm3) were placed on the CAM at 10 days of total incubation. The embryos were killed 5 days after implantation. The scaffolds and CAM were explanted, fixed in formalin solution and processed for embedding in methyl methacrylate. Histological analysis using ground sections showed that the scaffolds were surrounded by CAM. There was no occurrence of macrophages or related inflammatory cells. The results described in this paper indicate that the developed bioassay is an appropriate approach as an alternative to conventional animal models to evaluate the biocompatibility of scaffold biomaterials for tissue engineering and regenerative medicine. © 2008 Institute of Materials, Minerals and Mining.
UnivIS-Import:2015-03-09:Pub.2008.tech.IW.LM.novelb
Keywords: Biocompatibility; Bioglass; Chick embryo; Scaffolds; Tissue engineering

Novel Biodegradable and Biocompatible Poly(3-hydroxyoctanoate)/Bacterial Cellulose Composites - Basnett, Pooja; Knowles, Jonathan C.; Pishbin, Fatemah; Smith, Caroline; Keshavarz, Tajalli; Boccaccini, Aldo R.; Roy, Ipsita (Advanced Engineering Materials, 2012)
Novel poly(3-hydroxyoctanoate), P(3HO), and bacterial cellulose composites have been developed. P(3HO) is hydrophobic in nature whereas bacterial cellulose is extremely hydrophilic in nature. Therefore, homogenized bacterial cellulose has been chemically modified in order to achieve compatibility with the P(3HO) matrix. Modified bacterial cellulose microcrystals and P(3HO) have been physically blended and solvent casted into two-dimensional composite films. Mechanical characterization shows that the Young's modulus of the P(3HO)/bacterial cellulose composites is significantly higher in comparison to the neat P(3HO) film. The melting temperature (T m) of the composites is lower while the glass transition temperature (T g) is higher than the neat P(3HO) film. Also, the composite film has a rougher surface topography as compared to the neat P(3HO) film. A month's in vitro degradation study has been carried out in Dulbeccos modified eagle medium and in phosphate buffer saline. The incorporation of modified bacterial cellulose microcrystal in the P(3HO) film has increased the degradability of the composite film. Finally, in vitro biocompatibility studies using human microvascular endothelial cells established the biocompatibility of the P(3HO)/bacterial cellulose microcrystal films. The cell proliferation was 50-110% higher on the P(3HO)/bacterial cellulose composites as compared to the neat P(3HO) film. Hence, in this study, for the first time, P(3HO)/bacterial cellulose composites have been developed. The addition of bacterial cellulose has resulted in properties that are highly desirable for medical applications including the development of biodegradable stents. Novel P(3HO)/bacterial cellulose composites have been developed to be used as a potential material for a range of medical applications including the development of biodegradable stents. Copyright © 2012 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.
UnivIS-Import:2015-03-09:Pub.2012.tech.IW.LM.novelb

Novel biomimetic fiber incorporated scaffolds for tissue engineering - Yongcong, Fang; Zhang, Ting; Liverani, Liliana; Boccaccini, Aldo R.; Sun, Wei (Journal of Biomedical Materials Research Part A, 2019)
From a structural perspective, an ideal scaffold ought to possess interconnected macro pores with sizes from 10 to 100 μm to facilitate cell infiltration and tissue formation, as well as similar topography to the natural extracellular matrix (ECM) which would have an impact on cell behavior such as cell adhesion and gene expression. For that purpose, here we developed a fabrication process to incorporate electrospun short fibers within freeze-dried scaffolds for tissue engineering applications. Briefly, PCL short fibers were first produced from electrospun fibers with ultrasonication method. They were then evenly dispersed in gelatin solution and freeze-dried to obtain fiber incorporated scaffolds. The resulting scaffolds exhibited hierarchical structure including major pores with sizes ranging from 50 to 150 μm and the short fibers dispersed in the thin walls of major pores, mimicking the fibrous feature of natural ECM. The short fibers were proven to modify the mechanical properties of scaffold and to facilitate cell adhesion and proliferation on the scaffold. As a promising scaffold for tissue engineering and regenerative medicine, the fiber incorporated scaffold may have further biomedical applications, in which the short fibers can act as drug release vehicles for growth factors or other biomolecules to promote vascularization.
CRIS-Team Scopus Importer:2019-08-27
Keywords: benign solvents; electrospinning; freeze drying; scaffold; tissue engineering

Novel cardiac patch development using natural biopolymers - Dubey, P.; Boccaccini, Aldo R.; Roy, I. (ACS Symposium Series, 2014)
Cardiovascular diseases (CVD) are a major cause of death worldwide. Biomaterials including synthetic and natural polymers have been fabricated by combining the chemical, biological, mechanical and electrical aspects of material for potential tissue engineering applications. Synthetic and natural polymers help in tailoring the mechanical properties of the scaffold and are advantageous in providing cell adhesion and proliferation by offering cell recognition sites. Cardiac tissue engineering aims for the development of a bioengineered cardiac patch that can provide physical support to the damaged cardiac tissue by replacing certain functions of the damaged extracellular matrix and prevent adverse cardiac remodeling and dysfunction after myocardial infarction. Hence, cardiac patches aim to facilitate the normal functioning of the heart muscle by providing repair and support to the infarcted region of the heart. This Chapter will review application of different biodegradable natural polymeric materials and their composites in the development of cardiac patches for cardiac tissue engineering.
CRIS-Team Scopus Importer:2022-08-05

Novel Double-Layered Conduit Containing Highly Bioactive Glass Fibers for Potential Nerve Guide Application - Souza, Marina Trevelin; Peitl, Oscar; Zanotto, Edgar Dutra; Boccaccini, Aldo R. (International Journal of Applied Glass Science, 2016)
Keywords: bioactive glass; biocomposite; glass fibers; nerve guide; poly ε-caprolactone

Novel electrospun poly(glycerol sebacate)-zein fiber mats as candidate materials for cardiac tissue engineering - Dippold, Dirk; Tallawi, Marwa; Tansaz, Samira; Roether, Judith; Boccaccini, Aldo R. (European Polymer Journal, 2016)
The application of a cardiac patch made of biodegradable polymer is a novel approach in regenerative therapies for infarcted cardiac tissue and aims to deliver healthy and functional cells on a mechanically supporting matrix to the damaged area of the myocardium. In this study a novel type of tissue engineered cardiac construct based on poly(glycerol sebacate) (PGS) blended with the corn protein zein was developed. Bead free electrospun PGS-zein fibers were fabricated using acetic acid as a benign solvent. In vitro degradation studies in PBS revealed a physicochemically stable system over a 28 day period showing only a slight drop in pH after 28 days. The results indicate that the novel PGS-zein fibrous structures are attractive biomaterials which can be valuable for cardiac patch applications thus warranting their further investigation in vitro and in vivo.
Keywords: Cardiac tissue engineering; Electrospinning; Poly(glycerol sebacate); Zein

Novel geopolymers incorporating red mud and waste glass cullet - Toniolo, Nicoletta; Rincon, A.; Avadhut, Yamini; Hartmann, Martin; Bernardo, E.; Boccaccini, Aldo R. (Materials Letters, 2018)
Red mud presents significant environmental problems, so that its incorporation in geopolymers could represent an alternative solution to produce valuable products from this residue. Novel geopolymers using red mud as source of alumina and waste glass as silica supplier were developed, using sodium hydroxide as the only ` non- waste' material. The formation of a homogeneous polymeric gel, confirmed by solid- state NMR and EDX analysis, promoted the stabilization of possible pollutants. Moreover, the materials exhibit a remarkable compressive strength (up to 45 MPa, for 60 wt% red mud). (C) 2018 Elsevier B. V. All rights reserved.
Keywords: Geopolymers; Red mud; Waste glass; MAS-NMR; Leaching test

Novel geopolymers incorporating red mud and waste glass cullet - Toniolo, Nicoletta; Rincón, A.; Hartmann, M.; Avadhut, Yamini; Bernardo, Enrico; Boccaccini, Aldo R. (Materials Letters, 2018)
Keywords: Geopolymers; Leaching test; MAS-NMR; Red mud; Waste glass

Novel geopolymers incorporating silicate waste - Toniolo, Nicoletta (Friedrich-Alexander-Universität Erlangen-Nürnberg, 2018)

Novel injectable gellan gum hydrogel composites incorporating Zn- and Sr-enriched bioactive glass microparticles: High-resolution X-ray microcomputed tomography, antibacterial and in vitro testing - Douglas, Timothy E. L.; Dziadek, Michal; Gorodzha, Svetlana; Liskova, Jana; Brackman, Gilles; Vanhoorne, Valerie; Vervaet, Chris; Balcaen, Lieve; Garcia, Maria Del Rosario Florez; Boccaccini, Aldo R.; Weinhardt, Venera; Baumbach, Tilo; et al. (Journal of Tissue Engineering and Regenerative Medicine, 2018)

Novel ion-doped mesoporous glasses for bone tissue engineering: Study of their structural characteristics influenced by the presence of phosphorous oxide - Philippart, Anahi; Gomez-Cerezo, Natividad; Arcos, Daniel; Salinas, Antonio J.; Boccardi, Elena; Vallet-Regi, Maria; Boccaccini, Aldo R. (Journal of Non-Crystalline Solids, 2017)
Keywords: Bioactive glasses; Ion-doped glasses; Mesoporosity; NMR; Therapeutic ions