Search

Organoid technology has provided unique insights into human organ development, function, and diseases. Patient-derived organoids are increasingly used for drug screening, modeling rare disorders, designing regenerative therapies, and understanding disease pathogenesis. However, the use of Matrigel to grow organoids represents a major challenge in the clinical translation of organoid technology. Matrigel is a poorly defined mixture of extracellular matrix proteins and growth factors extracted from the Engelbreth–Holm–Swarm mouse tumor. The extracellular matrix is a major driver of multiple cellular processes and differs significantly between tissues as well as in healthy and disease states of the same tissue. Therefore, we envisioned that the extracellular matrix derived from a native healthy tissue would be able to support organoid growth akin to organogenesis in vivo. Here, we have developed hydrogels from decellularized human and bovine endometrium. These hydrogels supported the growth of mouse and human endometrial organoids, which was comparable to Matrigel. Organoids grown in endometrial hydrogels were proteomically more similar to the native tissue than those cultured in Matrigel. Proteomic and Raman microspectroscopy analyses showed that the method of decellularization affects the biochemical composition of hydrogels and, subsequently, their ability to support organoid growth. The amount of laminin in hydrogels correlated with the number and shape of organoids. We also demonstrated the utility of endometrial hydrogels in developing solid scaffolds for supporting high-throughput, cell culture–based applications. In summary, endometrial hydrogels overcome a major limitation of organoid technology and greatly expand the applicability of organoids to understand endometrial biology and associated pathologies.

Mesoporous silica-based nanoparticles (MSNs) have gained rapid interest as a drug delivery system (DDS) and demonstrated their versatility in delivering drugs for the treatment of various cancers. However, the drug loading efficiency of MSNs is low and is usually improved by improving textural properties through complicated synthesis methods or by post synthesis modification of the surface that can result in the loss of surface area and modify its drug release properties. In this study, we report a direct single-step synthesis of MSNs with a unique egg-yolk core-shell morphology, large pore volume and a hydrophilic surface, decorated with nitrogen rich surface functionalities for increasing its drug loading capacity. This combination of excellent textural properties and surface functionalisation was achieved by a simple soft templating method using dual surfactants and the silica sources assisted by employing either triethylamine (TEA) or triethanolamine (TEO) as the hydrolysis agent. The morphology and well-ordered mesoporous structure can simply be tuned by changing the pH of the synthesis medium that affects the self-assembly mechanism of the micelles. HRTEM image of samples clearly revealed an egg-yolk core-shell morphology with a thin mesoporous silica shell. The optimised MSN samples synthesized at a pH of 11 using either TEA or TEO depicted a higher doxorubicin (Dox) loading capacity of 425 μg mg

Müllerian ducts are paired tubular structures that give rise to most of the female reproductive organs. Any abnormalities in the development and differentiation of these ducts lead to anatomical defects in the female reproductive tract organs categorized as Müllerian duct anomalies. Due to the limited access to fetal tissues, little is understood of human reproductive tract development and the associated anomalies. Although organoids represent a powerful model to decipher human development and disease, such organoids from fetal reproductive organs are not available. Here, we developed organoids from human fetal fallopian tubes and uteri and compared them with their adult counterparts. Our results demonstrate that human fetal reproductive tract epithelia do not express some of the typical markers of adult reproductive tract epithelia. Furthermore, fetal organoids are grossly, histologically, and proteomically different from adult organoids. While external supplementation of WNT ligands or activators in culture medium is an absolute requirement for the adult reproductive tract organoids, fetal organoids are able to grow in WNT-deficient conditions. We also developed decellularized tissue scaffolds from adult human fallopian tubes and uteri. Transplantation of fetal organoids onto these scaffolds led to the regeneration of the adult fallopian tube and uterine epithelia. Importantly, suppression of Wnt signaling, which is altered in patients with Müllerian duct anomalies, inhibits the regenerative ability of human fetal organoids and causes severe anatomical defects in the mouse reproductive tract. Thus, our fetal organoids represent an important platform to study the underlying basis of human female reproductive tract development and diseases.

Cerium oxide nanoparticles (CeNPs) exhibit excellent in vitro and in vivo antioxidant properties, determined by the redox switching of surface cerium ions between their two oxidation states (Ce3+ and Ce4+). It is known that ligands such as triethyl phosphite (TEP) can tune the redox behavior of CeNPs and change their biological enzyme-mimetic activities; however, the corresponding mechanism for such a behavior is completely unknown. Herein, we have studied the effect of TEP in promoting the SOD-enzyme-like activity in CeNPs with high and low Ce3+/Ce4+ ratio, which were synthesized by wet chemical and thermal hydrolysis methods, respectively, and incubated with varying concentrations of TEP. X-ray diffraction, UV-visible, photoluminescence, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, and Raman spectroscopy combined with DFT calculations were used to investigate the interaction of TEP on the surface of CeNPs. We observed a clear correlation between TEP concentration and the formation of surface oxygen vacancies. XPS analysis confirmed the increase in Ce3+ concentration after interaction with TEP. Moreover, we show that TEP's influence depends on the surface Ce3+/Ce4+ ratio. The superoxide dismutase-, catalase-, and oxidase-like activities of CeNPs with high Ce3+/Ce4+ ratio are not affected by TEP interaction, whereas catalase- and oxidase-like activities of CeNPs with low Ce3+/Ce4+ ratio decrease and the SOD-like activity is found to increase upon incubation with different concentrations of TEP. We also demonstrate that TEP interaction does not affect the regeneration of the CeNP surface, while the DFT calculations show that TEP facilitates the formation of defects on the surface of stoichiometric cerium oxide by reducing the oxygen vacancy formation energy. CeNPs with low Ce3+/Ce4+ ratio incubated with TEP also exhibited good antibacterial activity as compared to the CeNPs or TEP alone.

Mesoporous carbon nitrides with C

Engineered nanomaterials (ENMs) are at the forefront of many technological breakthroughs in science and engineering. The extensive use of ENMs in several consumer products has resulted in their release to the aquatic environment. ENMs entering the aquatic ecosystem undergo a dynamic transformation as they interact with organic and inorganic constituents present in aquatic environment, specifically abiotic factors such as NOM and clay minerals, and attain an environmental identity. Thus, a greater understanding of ENM-abiotic factors interactions is required for an improved risk assessment and sustainable management of ENMs contamination in the aquatic environment. This review integrates fundamental aspects of ENMs transformation in aquatic environment as impacted by abiotic factors, and delineates the recent advances in bioavailability and ecotoxicity of ENMs in relation to risk assessment for ENMs-contaminated aquatic ecosystem. It specifically discusses the mechanism of transformation of different ENMs (metals, metal oxides and carbon based nanomaterials) following their interaction with the two most common abiotic factors NOM and clay minerals present within the aquatic ecosystem. The review critically discusses the impact of these mechanisms on the altered ecotoxicity of ENMs including the impact of such transformation at the genomic level. Finally, it identifies the gaps in our current understanding of the role of abiotic factors on the transformation of ENMs and paves the way for the future research areas.

The presence of an excessive concentration of CO2 in the atmosphere needs to be curbed with suitable measures including the reduction of CO2 emissions at stationary point sources such as power plants through carbon capture technologies and subsequent conversion of the captured CO2 into non-polluting clean fuels/chemicals using photo and/or electrocatalytic pathways. Porous materials have attracted much attention for carbon capture and in the recent past; they have witnessed significant advancements in their design and implementation for CO2 capture and conversion. In this context, the emerging trends in major porous adsorbents such as MOFs, zeolites, POPs, porous carbons, and mesoporous materials for CO2 capture and conversion are discussed. Their surface texture and chemistry, and the influence of various other features on their efficiency, selectivity, and recyclability for CO2 capture and conversion are explained and compared thoroughly. The scientific and technical advances on the material structure versus CO2 capture and conversion provide deep insights into designing effective porous materials. The review concludes with a summary, which compiles the key challenges in the field, current trends and critical challenges in the development of porous materials, and future research directions combined with possible solutions for realising the deployment of porous materials in CO2 capture and conversion.

Nanoporous carbon (HNC) with a flake and nanotubular morphology and a high specific surface area is prepared by using natural halloysite nanotubes (HNTs), a low-cost and naturally available clay material with a mixture of flaky and tubular morphology. A controlled pore-filling technique is used to selectively control the porosity, morphology, and the specific surface area of the HNC. Activated nanoporous carbon (AHNC) with a high specific surface area is also prepared by using HNT together with the activation process with zinc chloride (ZnCl

Cerium oxide nanoparticles have oxygen defects in their lattice structure that enable them to scavenge oxygen radicals. Recent reports have shown nanoceria to act a regenerative free radical scavenger in a physiological environment. The goal of our study was to perform a comprehensive analysis of the biological distribution and in vivo antioxidant capabilities of nanoceria. We examined three peroral (PO), intravenous (IV), and intraperitoneal (IP) administration routes along with deposition, clearance, histology and WBC counts in nanoceria administered mice. We also examined if nanoceria would decrease ROS production in mice treated with carbon tetrachloride (CCl4). As determined by inductively coupled plasma-mass spectrometry (ICP-MS), nanoceria organ deposition for IV and IP mice was greatest in the spleen followed by the liver, lungs, and kidneys. Elimination for all administration routes was through feces. Nanoceria distribution was confirmed with IVIS in vivo imaging, and deposition was confirmed with transmission electron microscopy (TEM). Nanoceria administration did not induce histopathology, however it did raise WBC counts. Nanoceria administration to mice with induced liver toxicity reduced liver 8-isoprostane, urine 8-OHdG, and plasma MDA levels markers of oxidative stress. Our studies show that nanoceria remains deposited in tissues and decreases ROS, suggesting that cerium oxide nanoparticles may be a useful antioxidant treatment for oxidative stress.