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Aerogel‐based biomaterials are increasingly being considered for biomedical applications due to their unique properties such as high porosity, hierarchical porous network, and large specific pore surface area. Depending on the pore size of the aerogel, biological effects such as cell adhesion, fluid absorption, oxygen permeability, and metabolite exchange can be altered. Based on the diverse potential of aerogels in biomedical applications, this paper provides a comprehensive review of fabrication processes including sol‐gel, aging, drying, and self‐assembly along with the materials that can be used to form aerogels. In addition to the technology utilizing aerogel itself, it also provides insight into the applicability of aerogel based on additive manufacturing technology. To this end, how microfluidic‐based technologies and 3D printing can be combined with aerogel‐based materials for biomedical applications is discussed. Furthermore, previously reported examples of aerogels for regenerative medicine and biomedical applications are thoroughly reviewed. A wide range of applications with aerogels including wound healing, drug delivery, tissue engineering, and diagnostics are demonstrated. Finally, the prospects for aerogel‐based biomedical applications are presented. The understanding of the fabrication, modification, and applicability of aerogels through this study is expected to shed light on the biomedical utilization of aerogels. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Tissue engineering approaches, with the goals of replacing or recovering damaged or diseased tissues, or of reconstituting tissues in vitro for disease modeling and drug development, have the potential to make significant contributions to medicine. Advances in stem cell biology, biomaterial synthesis and characterization, and microscale technologies have made engineered tissues a reality. However, the classic tools used to build tissues in the lab do not allow for complete control of cell behaviors. More recently, synthetic biology principles have developed robust and versatile approaches to program cells with artificial genetic circuits, where cell behavior and function can be manipulated. At the interface between synthetic biology and tissue engineering, there is space for a new area of investigation where material engineering and cellular engineering complement and sustain each other. In this progress report, synthetic biology principles and how they have been used to engineer cells with potential to dictate cell behavior and function in tissue constructs of the future are briefly described. It is believed that this research area still needs further exploration to fully exploit synthetic biology to make smart and functional cellular constructs for therapeutic and in vitro applications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Keratins extracted from human hair have emerged as a promising biomaterial for various biomedical applications, partly due to their wide availability, low cost, minimal immune response, and the potential to engineer autologous tissue constructs. However, the fabrication of keratin-based scaffolds typically relies on limited crosslinking mechanisms, such as via physical interactions or disulfide bond formation, which are time-consuming and result in relatively poor mechanical strength and stability. Here, we report the preparation of photocrosslinkable keratin-polyethylene glycol (PEG) hydrogels via the thiol-norbornene "click" reaction, which can be formed within one minute upon irradiation of visible light. The resulting keratin-PEG hydrogels showed highly tunable mechanical properties of up to 45 kPa in compressive modulus, and long-term stability in buffer solutions and cell culture media. These keratin-based hydrogels were tested as cell culture substrates in both two-dimensional surface seeding and three-dimensional cell encapsulation, demonstrating excellent cytocompatibility to support the attachment, spreading, and proliferation of fibroblast cells. Moreover, the photocrosslinking mechanism makes keratin-based hydrogel suitable for various microfabrication techniques, such as micropatterning and wet spinning, to fabricate cell-laden tissue constructs with different architectures. We believe that the unique features of this photocrosslinkable human hair keratin hydrogel promise new opportunities for their future biomedical applications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article presents the developments made in thermoresponsive platforms for use in tissue engineering and regenerative medicine. Focus of the study is the action of poly(N-isopropylacrylamide) or PNIPAAm. The characteristics of PNIPAAm and the methods to create coated substrates, cell adhesion and detachment of tissues as well as recovery of cell-sheets are explained. Main use for 2-D and 3-D thermoresponsive templates are provided.

Tissue Engineering: Synthetic Biology and Tissue Engineering: Toward Fabrication of Complex and Smart Cellular Constructs (Adv. Funct. Keywords: material science; synthetic biology; tissue engineering EN material science synthetic biology tissue engineering 1 1 1 06/27/20 20200625 NES 200625 In article number 1909882, Samad Ahadian, Leonardo Morsut, Ali Khademhosseini, and co-workers highlight the great potential of tissue engineering approaches and synthetic biology principles to fabricate biological tissues and cellular constructs in a biomimetic and precise manner via the manipulation of cell behavior and function. Material science, synthetic biology, tissue engineering. [Extracted from the article]