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Strategies that increase the functional durability of implanted biomaterials suggest that retention of function might be more important than retention of the biomaterial itself.
The transplantation and long-term survival of hydrogel-encapsulated islets can be enhanced by first using a catheter to create a subcutaneous cavity and to trigger inflammation-induced local neovascularization.
The immunization of mice with colitis with self-assembling supramolecular peptide nanofibres bearing phosphorylcholine epitopes induced sustained levels of anti-phosphorylcholine antibodies that were both protective and therapeutic.
A subcutaneous colon-specific niche consisting of colon epithelial cells, decellularized colon extracellular matrix and immunosuppressive nanofibres reduced inflammation in the gastrointestinal tract of mice with established ulcerative colitis.
Elevated extrinsic tissue-scale forces can drive pathological foreign-body responses to implants, mediated by the Rac2-mediated activation of a subpopulation of mechanoresponsive myeloid cells.
The throughput of the in vivo screening of hydrogels for antifibrotic properties can be increased by tagging the biomaterials with cells and reading their genotype via next-generation sequencing.
Intravascularly infused extracellular matrix from ventricular myocardium binds to leaky vasculature and induces the regeneration of inflamed heart tissue, as shown in rats and pigs.
A peritumourally implanted macroporous scaffold releasing small molecules and antibodies to suppress regulatory T cells and to attract and stimulate effector T cells enhanced endogenous antitumoural responses in mice bearing aggressive tumours.
An antibiotic identified via molecular-docking simulations and screening, and loaded into a bone-cement matrix, performs better than currently used antibiotic-loaded bone cements in the treatment of staphylococcal bone infections in rats.
A customizable soft robotic aortic sleeve can recapitulate the haemodynamics and biomechanics of aortic stenosis, as shown in a porcine model of the disease.
A polymer patch that rapidly and robustly adheres to diabetic wounds and contracts in a pre-programmed manner promotes wound closure and re-epithelialization, as shown in mouse and human skin, in mini-pigs and in humanized mice.
Injectable and electrically conductive scaffolds displaying shape-memory behaviour and a hierarchical porous structure enhance the functional repair of infarcted heart muscle in rats and minipigs.
Brush-like biopolymers mimicking the lubrication properties of natural cartilage-binding complexes in articular joints enhance cartilage regeneration in a rat model of early osteoarthritis.
Protection of the endothelial glycocalyx in vascular allografts via the enzymatic ligation of immunosuppressive glycopolymers prevents allograft rejection after transplantation in the absence of systemic immunosuppression.
Cellular signalling networks in the microenvironment of implanted biomaterial scaffolds can be computationally reconstructed from single-cell RNA-sequencing data of cells collected from the implantation site.
An adhesive paste designed to mimic some properties of barnacle glue haemostatically seals tissues robustly in less than 15 s, independently of the rate of blood coagulation.
Injectable biomaterial vaccines designed to magnetically capture pathogen-associated molecular patterns protect mice and pigs against septic shock from lethal bacterial infections.
The surface topography of breast implants mediates the immune responses to them, and implants with an average roughness of 4 μm largely suppress foreign body response and fibrosis.
A hydrogel implanted into the cavity of a resected tumour and releasing CAR-T cells and platelets conjugated with a checkpoint inhibitor inhibits local tumour recurrence and the growth of distant tumours in mice.
A retrievable, porous and anti-fibrotic macrodevice for the encapsulation of cells provides long-term protection to human cells expressing therapeutic proteins after device implantation in the intraperitoneal space of immunocompetent mice.
A macroporous material encapsulating an immune-cell-activating cytokine, an adjuvant and tumour-associated antigens elicits prophylactic immunity to acute myeloid leukaemia in mice, and eradicates the disease when combined with chemotherapy.
Micropatterned nitinol (a nickel titanium alloy) thin films loaded with human CAR-T cells and implanted into tumours foster the expansion of the cells and extend animal survival in mouse models of human tumours.
Functionalized multi-walled carbon nanotubes twisted into helical fibre bundles that mimic the hierarchical structure of muscle can be used for the long-term monitoring of multiple disease biomarkers in vivo.
A sprayable dynamically crosslinked supramolecular polymer–nanoparticle hydrogel that robustly adheres to tissue reduces the severity of cardiac adhesions in rats and sheep.
Bioresorbable photonic devices for the spectroscopic characterization of tissues and biofluids can continuously monitor cerebral temperature, oxygenation and neural activity in the brains of freely moving mice before they are fully resorbed.
A thermogelling polymer that acts as an internal tamponade can repair detached retinas and trigger the formation of a vitreous-like body, as shown in retinal-detachment rabbit and non-human-primate models.
A viscoelastic adhesive patch that accommodates the myocardium’s cyclic deformation outperforms most existing acellular epicardial patches in reversing left ventricular remodelling and in restoring heart function after myocardial infarction in rats.
Hydrogels incorporating human stromal cells and that after implantation in mice recruit cells from an orthotopic human tumour xenograft enable, after the injection of human immune cells, the study of the evolution of pre-metastatic niches.
Transplantation of pancreatic islet cells encapsulated in alginate microspheres into the omental bursa of the peritoneal cavity of NHPs significantly reduces FBRs and extends the longevity of the cells.
Coating the sensor in continuous glucose monitors with a zwitterionic polymer significantly reduces signal noise and the need for frequent device recalibration.
An implantable, wirelessly powered optoelectronic device that adheres to tissue for the delivery of low-dose, long-term photodynamic therapy leads to significant antitumour effects in mice with intradermally transplanted tumours.
The slow release of pro-survival peptide analogues crosslinked to an injectable collagen–dendrimer biomaterial significantly prolongs the engraftment and survival of transplanted stem cells in mouse models of ischaemic injury.
A patient-specific soft cardiovascular occluder made via three-dimensional printing and static moulding of an inflatable polymer balloon on the basis of data derived from computed tomography scans of a large animal is implanted in the same animal.
An implantable device consisting of a biodegradable core and a tubular braided sleeve autonomously elongates to accommodate tissue growth, as shown with prototypes implanted on a rat tibial bone and a piglet heart valve.
3D-printed grafts with geometrically designed and endothelialized vasculature rescue the perfusion of distal tissues in rodent models of hind limb ischaemia and myocardial infarction, preventing capillary loss, muscle atrophy and loss of function.
A comparison of the in vivo engraftment of scaffolds containing either an unassembled suspension of human vascular cells or an assembled network of them shows that non-inflammatory host neutrophils are indispensable mediators of vascularization.
In a rabbit model of prosthetic joint infection, optimization of the shape and loading of antibiotic clusters in a polymer implant augments and prolongs antibiotic elution while maintaining implant strength and wear rate.
An optimized formulation of glucagon-like peptide-1 recombinantly fused to an elastin-like polypeptide leads to zero-order release kinetics from a subcutaneous depot and to 10 days of glycaemic control in three mouse models of diabetes.
This Review discusses advances in implantable biomaterials that mimic the pre-metastatic niche and regulate the behaviour of tumour cells at the implant site, and their prospects for the detection of metastasis and for therapeutic interventions.
A hydrogel made of crosslinked clusters of highly branched polymers that has ultralow swelling pressure and that forms in 10 minutes despite its low polymer content functions as an artificial vitreous body for over one year without inducing adverse effects.
Mediated by neovascularization, macrophages and giant cells drive the fibrotic encapsulation of implanted porous polymer scaffolds, as revealed by nonlinear intravital three-dimensional microscopy.
Allometric tissue-scale stresses at an implant’s surface trigger pathological foreign-body responses, mediated by the activation of mechanoresponsive myeloid cells, that increase exponentially with body size.
An injectable biomaterial vaccine encapsulating antigens associated with acute myeloid leukaemia, dendritic-cell-targeting pro-inflammatory cytokines and an adjuvant protects mice from the disease.
Soft biomaterials for implantation in the body are increasingly designed to be functional for a finite time and to then disappear via degradation or resorption.
A rapidly gelling, biocompatible co-polymer, tested in rabbit and non-human-primate models of retinal detachment, makes for an effective replacement of the damaged vitreous.
Needle-sized photonic devices that slowly dissolve in the body can spectroscopically characterize cerebral temperature, blood oxygenation and neural activity for weeks in unconstrained mice.
A viscoelastic adhesive cardiac patch with optimal mechanical behaviour, determined using a computational model, restores heart function and slows down pathological remodelling following myocardial infarction in rodents.
Occluders for the left atrial appendage that are patient-specific, thus ensuring better fitting and potentially less complications, can be made by 3D-printing inflatable polymer devices on the basis of data derived from computed tomography scans.
A subcutaneous depot of a diabetes drug fused to a thermosensitive biopolymer leads to blood-glucose control, for over one week after a single injection, in animal models of type-2 diabetes.
Implanted scaffolds bearing 3D-printed parallel endothelialized channels restore blood perfusion in ischaemic hind limbs and infarcted hearts in rodents.