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Construction of Artificial Cells and Their Biomedical Application
LI Jiaqi, DOU Hongjing
Materials Reports
2025,39(5 ):24080236 -13. DOI:10.11896/cldb.24080236
Abstract
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Artificial cells are synthetic microstructures engineered to replicate the structural and functional characteristics of living cells. These cell-like constructs have garnered significant attention in recent years due to their potential to enhance our understanding of the origins of life and their application in the development of biologically active materials. Consequently, they have become a focal point in interdisciplinary research across materials science, chemistry, and biomedicine. The methods for constructing artificial cells can be broadly categorized into two main approaches, i.e. bottom-up and top-down, based on the scale of construction. These two methods have their own characteristics and complement each other. Among them, bottom-up approach, which involves the self-assembly of molecular components into larger, cell-like structures, offers a wide range of options for selecting building blocks. This flexibility allows for the tailoring of functionalities that are consistent with the properties of the chosen biomaterials, thereby unlocking numerous potential applications in biomedicine due to the inherent biocompatibility of these building blocks. This review focuses on reported models of artificial cells constructed by various methods, encompassing a diverse array of biomolecular building blocks, including lipid and phospholipid-based structures (such as liposomes and giant unilamellar vesicles), polysaccharide-based structures (polysaccharidosomes), protein-based structures (proteinosomes), polymer-based structures (polymersomes), and colloidal particle-based structures (colloidosomes). Additionally, the current applications of these artificial cells are also explored, highlighting their roles as biological carriers, micro-reactors, biosensors, and signal regulators, with a particular emphasis on their use in medical diagnostics and therapeutic interventions.
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Microstructure and Properties of Mg-
x
Sc (
x
=0.5,1.0,3.0,5.0) Biomedical Alloys
WANG Senwei, WANG Li, WANG Mingqing, SHE Jia, YI Jiayan, CHEN Xianhua, PAN Fusheng
Materials Reports
2025,39(5 ):24090019 -8. DOI:10.11896/cldb.24090019
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Medical implants are moving towards cyclic degradation and reduction of complications. Magnesium alloys are excellent candidates for the preparation of medical implants due to their excellent biodegradability and biocompatibility. In this paper, the effects of microstructure of under-alloyed Mg-
x
Sc (
x
=0.5, 1.0, 3.0, 5.0 in wt%) alloys on their mechanical properties and corrosion resistance were investigated. The expe-rimental study showed that the solid solution of Sc in the Mg matrix increased the ultimate tensile strength and activated the non-basal slip system to improve fracture elongation through solid solution strengthening. The Mg-5.0Sc alloy was measured to have an ultimate tensile strength and a fracture elongation of 277 MPa and 37.8%, respectively. The corrosion of the Mg-
x
Sc alloys in Hanks’ balanced salt solution were evaluated through three methods (weight loss, hydrogen evolution, and electrochemical tests), indicating the superior corrosion resistance of Mg-5.0Sc to the other three alloys. The corrosion rates of the under-alloyed Mg-
x
Sc were all lower than 0.5 mm/y according to weight loss calculation, and the corrosion products consisted mainly of Sc
2
O
3
and Mg(OH)
2
.
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Design and Application of Stimulus-responsive Polypeptide Materials
WANG Wanying, LI Ning, SONG Ziyuan
Materials Reports
2025,39(5 ):24080169 -13. DOI:10.11896/cldb.24080169
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Polypeptide materials, obtained by ring-opening polymerization (ROP) of amino acid
N
-carboxyanhydrides (NCAs), are an important class of biomedical materials. Through the design of functional monomers and post-polymerization modifications, polypeptide materials are able to respond to endogenous or exogenous stimuli through structural changes under specific microenvironment, thus selectively releasing the conjugated or encapsulated drugs on demand. Therefore, stimulus-responsive polypeptide materials have a wide range of studies in various biomedical fields such as drug delivery, tissue engineering, immune regulation, and antibacterial applications. Researchers have devoted numerous efforts to the design of stimulus-responsive polypeptide materials for the treatment of cancer and other diseases, aiming to enable versatile structural changes to specific stimuli. Herein we reviewed the development of stimulus-responsive chemistry in polypeptides, summarized the versatile designs of polypeptide-based nanomedicines, and highlighted their biomedical applications. The comments on the future development of stimulus-responsive polypeptides were incorporated at the end of our review.
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Bioactive Hydrogels Promote Skin Chronic Wound Healing Through Regulating Cell Behaviors
XIE Mengtian, MA Yulong, SUN Yirong, SUN Hai, XU Weiguo, WANG Guoliang, DING Jianxun
Materials Reports
2025,39(5 ):24120195 -14. DOI:10.11896/cldb.24120195
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With the acceleration of population aging in China, the incidence of skin chronic wounds has been increasing steadily. Due to their prolonged healing cycles and high recurrence rates, chronic wounds not only pose significant threats to patients’ physical and mental health but also impose a heavy burden on the healthcare system. The healing of chronic wounds is a complex process that involves the precise coordination of various cells and signaling factors, making it challenging for single therapeutic approaches, such as anti-inflammatory treatments, to effectively address this multifaceted physiological process. In recent years, bioactive hydrogels have demonstrated remarkable advantages in improving wound microenvironments and promoting cell proliferation due to their excellent biocompatibility, precise regulation of cell behaviors, and ability to modulate the release of signaling factors. This review systematically elucidates the mechanisms by which bioactive hydrogels contribute to skin wound healing, encompassing key stages, such as hemostasis, anti-inflammation, promotion of cell proliferation, collagen deposition, and extracellular matrix remodeling. Finally, the review explores the promising clinical applications of bioactive hydrogels while highlighting the major challenges and unresolved issues in their clinical translation, providing references for future research and technological advancements in chronic wound healing.
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A Review on Preparation Process and Properties of Titanium Alloy-Hydroxyapatite Composite Materials for Bone Repair
JIANG Wenping, PANG Xingzhi, HE Juanxia, YANG Wenchao, ZHAN Yongzhong
Materials Reports
2025,39(5 ):24090227 -14. DOI:10.11896/cldb.24090227
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Titanium alloy-hydroxyapatite composite materials for bone repair have attracted much attention due to their excellent biocompatibility and mechanical properties. The metal part of the material constitutes a matrix skeleton with good mechanical properties, while the non-metallic part composed of calcium phosphate compounds can effectively promote bone cell growth and ensure good biocompatibility of the material. There are two main preparation processes for this type of material: high-temperature sintering and friction stir welding. High temperature sintering mainly includes hot pressing sintering, pressureless heat transfer sintering, discharge plasma sintering, microwave sintering, and laser sintering. At pre-sent, there are problems with insufficient mechanical properties during low-temperature sintering and severe thermal decomposition of calcium phosphate compounds during high-temperature sintering in the high-temperature sintering process, while the preparation process of friction stir welding is yet inchoate. This review summarizes the working principle and characteristics of the aforementioned preparation process of titanium alloy hydroxyapatite composite materials for bone repair. It analyzes and discusses the influence of each preparation process on the products’ phase composition, microstructure, mechanical properties, and biocompatibility. It elaborates the viewpoint that high-temperature sintering mechanism, the pressure condition (pressurized or pressureless) of the sintering process, and other process factors affect greatly the material properties, and depicts the promising potential of the two preparation processes, i. e., friction stir welding and microwave sintering, owing to relatively small impact on calcium phosphate compounds. It also clarifies the advantages/disadvantages and development prospect of the preparation processes entailed, and finally ends with a tentative prophecy about the three research directions in the preparation process of titanium alloy hydroxyapatite composite materials for bone repair.
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Research Progress of Zirconium-based Biomedical Alloys
LIN Jiamao, YAO Meiyi, CHEN Zhebin, XU Shitong, HU Lijuan
Materials Reports
2025,39(5 ):24020141 -10. DOI:10.11896/cldb.24020141
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Zirconium-based biomedical alloys have attracted more and more attention due to their low elastic modulus, high strength, good corrosion resistance and biocompatibility in physiological environment, and have been exploratorily used as human hard tissue replacement materials. This paper reviews the research progress of medical zirconium alloys in Zr-Nb, Zr-Mo and Zr-Ti systems, then summarizes the influence of alloy composition on the mechanical properties, corrosion resistance and biocompatibility of medical zirconium alloys based on the performance requirements of biomedical materials. In addition, surface modification technology is an important means to improve the surface properties of alloys. The research progress of surface modification of zirconium alloys in the biomedical field is reviewed from the aspects of different technologies and functional coatings. Finally, the development direction of biomedical zirconium alloy and its surface modification technology is prospected, hoping to provide valuable reference for the research and development of biomedical zirconium alloys.
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Preparation and Performance of Polyethyleneimine-NaGdF
4
:Yb
3+
,Tm
3+
Rare Earth Doped Upconversion Nanomaterials
ZHAO Weixin, PENG Konghao, WU Yue, GUO Wen, GAO Heran, ZHANG Lingyan, PENG Wei, LI Shurong, MENG Peijun
Materials Reports
2025,39(5 ):24120175 -7. DOI:10.11896/cldb.24120175
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In this work, NaGdF
4
:Yb
3+
, Tm
3+
was prepared by the solvothermal method, and the conditions of rare earth ion doping ratio, reaction temperature, reaction time, OA∶ODE volume ratio, and the amount of NH
4
F were optimized, and the effects on the morphology and properties of the materials were investigated by using XRD, TEM, FTIR, fluorescence spectroscopy, and Zeta potential. The optimal synthesis conditions were determined to be the following: a rare earth ion doping ratio of Gd69%∶Yb30%∶Tm1%, a reaction time of 60 min, a reaction temperature of 300 ℃, an OA∶ODE volume ratio of 5∶15, and an amount of NH
4
F of 4 mmol, and then the ligand-exchange method was utilized for the preparation of PEI-NaGdF
4
:Yb
3+
, Tm
3+
, which was characterized as PEI-modified nanomaterials. The characterization analysis showed that the crystalline shape of PEI-modified nanomaterials was unchanged compared with that before modification, and the size was homogeneous with a particle size of (26.48±1.03) nm, and the dispersibility and water solubility were good, and the fluorescence intensity was slightly reduced, and the blue up-conversion fluorescence could be emitted under the excitation of the near-infrared light of 980 nm. Zeta potential analysis showed that PEI-NaGdF
4
:Yb
3+
, Tm
3+
, with a positively charged surface, facilitates targeted cellular uptake and provides a material basis for precision medical imaging.
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Application of XPS in the Research of New Dental Medical Materials
WANG Xinyao, WEI Yongtao, WU Jing, WANG Xianbin, YANG Wenchao, ZHAN Yongzhong
Materials Reports
2025,39(5 ):24100162 -11. DOI:10.11896/cldb.24100162
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Tooth loss is one of the most common diseases in oral clinics. Implant restoration has become a conventional treatment plan for the restoration of missing teeth. Titanium and titanium alloy materials are commonly used as implant materials, which have the advantages of non-toxicity, matching elastic modulus with human hard tissue and high success rate of implant restoration. However, titanium-based implants have poor biological activity and even implant failure. Therefore, the surface modification technology of dental materials can improve the antibacterial properties and corrosion resistance of the implant surface and accelerate the process of bone bonding, improve its success rate and contribute to its long-term survival. X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) has unique advantages such as “high sensitivity” and “ultramicroscopic” in the analysis of the surface mechanism of modified materials. In the research of new dental medical materials, XPS technology can be used to analyze the surface composition and chemical state of materials, which is crucial for the study of the key properties of materials such as antibacterial, corrosion resistance and biocompatibility. Through XPS technology, information such as elemental composition, chemical valence and surface chemical state can be accurately understood on the surface of the material, so as to evaluate the biosafety and functionality of the material.
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Boron-containing Fluorescent Materials and Their Application in Boron Neutron Capture Therapy
PANG Miao, ZHONG Tianyuan, PAN Yong, QI Yanxin, HUANG Yubin
Materials Reports
2025,39(5 ):24090118 -6. DOI:10.11896/cldb.24090118
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Boron neutron capture therapy (BNCT), as a binary targeted radiotherapy, has shown strong anti-cancer potential. This treatment is highly selective and lethal to tumor cells, and its effectiveness mainly depends on the accumulation of sufficient concentrations of
10
B in the tumor. Real-time observation of boron’s tissue distribution and metabolism during the BNCT process has always been a challenge in the treatment. Fluorescence imaging, as a potential sensitive spectral technique, is a reliable choice for evaluating boron distribution in tissues. Therefore, research combining BNCT with fluorescence imaging has attracted widespread attention. In this review, we focus on the types and applications of boron-containing fluorescent materials and provide a detailed introduction to the fluorescent materials applied in BNCT. Further, we discuss the technical bottlenecks of these boron-containing materials in BNCT and possible solutions. Finally, we look forward to the feasible design and application prospects of boron-containing fluorescent materials in BNCT, providing new guidance for the design of boron-containing fluorescent materials.
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