The current study provides a novel remote loading approach utilizing chemically modified cyclodextrins to incorporate hydrophobic drugs into liposomes.

Human platelet lysate (hPL) has been considered as the preferred supplement for the xeno-free stem cell culture for many years. However, the biological effect of hPL on the proliferation and differentiation of dental stem cells combined with the use of medical grade synthetic biomaterial is still under investigation. Thus, the optimal scaffold composition, cell type and specific growth conditions, yet need to be formulated. In this study, we aimed to investigate the regenerative potential of dental stem cells seeded on synthetic scaffolds and maintained in osteogenic media supplemented with either hPL or xeno-derived fetal bovine serum (FBS). Two types of dental stem cells were isolated from human impacted third molars and intact teeth; stem cells of apical papilla (SCAP) and periodontal ligament stem cells (PDLSCs). Cells were expanded in cell culture media supplemented with either hPL or FBS. Consequently, proliferative capacity, immunophenotypic characteristics and multilineage differentiation potential of the derived cells were evaluated on monolayer culture (2D) and on synthetic scaffolds fabricated from poly ’lactic-co-glycolic’ acid (PLGA) (3D). The functionality of the induced cells was examined by measuring the concentration of osteogenic markers ALP, OCN and OPN at different time points. Our results indicate that the isolated dental stem cells showed similar mesenchymal characteristics when cultured on hPL or FBS-containing culture media. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and H&E staining revealed the proper adherence of the derived cells on the 3D scaffold cultures. Moreover, the increase in the concentration of osteogenic markers proved that hPL was able to produce functional osteoblasts in both culture conditions (2D and 3D), in a way similar to FBS culture. These results reveal that hPL provides a suitable substitute to the animal-derived serum, for the growth and functionality of both SCAP and PDLSCs. Thus the use of hPL, in combination with PLGA scaffolds, can be useful in future clinical trials for dental regeneration.

G REEN chemistry was used to prepare yttrium oxide (Y 2 O 3), barium carbonate (BaCO 3), and copper oxide (CuO) nano-particles (NPs) using aqueous Neem fruit extract Azadirachta indica as a capping agent. The resulted metal complexs were calcined at temperature of 750 o C. The produced NPs were characterized using X-ray Powder Diffraction (XRD), Scanning and Transmission Electron Microscope (STEM), Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), UV-Vis Spectroscopy and Thermal Gravimetric Analysis (TGA). XRD analysis confirmed the monoclinic structure for CuO NPs, orthorhombic structure for BaCO 3 NPs and cubic structures for Y 2 O 3 NPs. XRD data for the three metal oxides were matched with the ICDD standards. The crystallite size for the CuO, BaCO 3 and Y 2 O 3 NPs were 29.9, 49.0 and 10.3 nm, respectively. UV-vis spectroscopy showed that for the scanned suspended oxides were in the UV range which is an indication of the formation of nano-sized materials. STEM results showed agglomerated NPs with an average particle size of < 50 nm for all oxide samples. FTIR results confirmed that the metal-oxide bond existed and represented by bands in the range 500-700 nm-1 .

We report a simple surface functionalization of glutathione-capped gold nanoclusters by hydrophobic ion pairing with alkylamine followed by a complete phase transfer to various organic solvents with maintained colloidal stability and photoluminescence properties. The described surface hydrophobication enables efficient encapsulation of gold nanoclusters into PLGA nanocarriers allowing their visualization inside cultured cells using confocal fluorescent microscopy. The simplicity and efficiency of the described protocols should extend the biomedical applications of these metallic nanoclusters as a fluorescent platform to label hydrophobic polymeric nanocarriers beyond conventional organic dyes.