Diseases or injuries that affect neuromuscular tissues severely impact human health, motivating the development of in vitro models of the motor control system. Current platforms either have limited reproducibility or require complex fabrication protocols that preclude high-resolution imaging and scalable functional analysis. We have developed a one-step method for fabricating an all-hydrogel limb-on-a-chip that addresses […]
Surface modifications of polycaprolactone (PCL) implants influence osseointegration by altering cell adhesion, proliferation, and differentiation. Osteon-like microtopography has been shown to enhance these parameters compared to untreated PCL. Additional treatments, such as cold atmospheric plasma (CAP) and extracellular matrix (ECM) coatings, may further improve bioactivity. This study evaluates and compares the osteogenic potential of osteon-like […]
Endovascular interventions—i.e., minimally invasive procedures that involve navigating guidewires and/or microcatheters through a patient’s vasculature to access target treatment sites—have emerged as a preferable alternative to traditional open surgery in many clinical contexts. Unfortunately, maneuverability constraints inherent to conventional guidewire-microcatheter systems can hinder effective navigation to target sites, elevating the risk of procedural complications or […]
Swimming bacteria move through a fluid by actuating their moving body parts. They are force-free and can be described as hydrodynamic force dipoles: pushers or pullers. This modelling description is broadly used in biological physics and active matter research, and it has successfully predicted, for example, the superfluid behaviour of suspensions of pushers or the […]
Purpose Surface micropatterning is being explored as a strategy to mitigate thrombus formation and reduce long-term anticoagulation requirements in left ventricular assist devices (LVADs). This study investigated whether specific micro-topographies can modulate platelet deposition under LVAD supraphysiological wall shear stress (WSS) conditions. Materials and Methods A custom microfluidic platform was developed to generate a linear […]
The success of cardiovascular devices is hindered by non-physiological flow conditions and surface materials, which can trigger platelet activation and lead to thrombus formation with severe consequences for patients. While anticoagulation treatments help prevent thrombus formation, they can compromise hemostasis and thereby increase the risk of bleeding. In this study, physical surface modifications through specific […]
Shape memory polymers capable of recovering their original form after deformation are highly desirable for applications in soft robotics, biomedical engineering, and microfabrication. However, integrating shape memory properties into 3D-printed microstructures with ultra-low mass remains a challenge, as most existing systems lack sufficient resolution or mechanical robustness at the microscale. In this study, a poly(ε-caprolactone)-based […]
Systemic inflammation associated with obesity impairs skeletal muscle function through paracrine signaling from intermuscular adipose tissue—adipose depots situated between adjacent skeletal muscle groups—as well as from visceral adipose tissue, which consist of infiltrating macrophages surrounding inflamed adipocytes. These signals disrupt metabolic homeostasis and reduce muscle contractility, yet existing models are limited in their ability to […]
Porous scaffolds made of bioactive glass (BG) are of great interest for tissue engineering as they can bond to bone rapidly and promote new bone formation. Pores and channels between 100 and 500 µm provide space for cell intrusion and nutrient supply, facilitating bone ingrowth and vascularization. Furthermore, smaller pores and structural features of a […]
The high mortality associated with certain cancers can be attributed to the invasive nature of the tumor cells. Yet, the complexity of studying invasion hinders our understanding of how the tumor spreads. This work presents a microengineered three-dimensional (3D) in vitro model for studying cancer cell invasion and interaction with endothelial cells. The model was […]
