Multifunctional Nanomachinery for Enhancement of Bone Healing

Abstract

The visionary idea that RNA adopts nonbiological roles in today's nanomaterial world has been nothing short of phenomenal. These RNA molecules have ample chemical functionality and self‐assemble to form distinct nanostructures in response to external stimuli. They may be combined with inorganic materials to produce nanomachines that carry cargo to a target site in a controlled manner and respond dynamically to environmental changes. Comparable to biological cells, programmed RNA nanomachines have the potential to replicate bone healing in vitro. Here, an RNA–biomineral nanomachine is developed, which accomplishes intrafibrillar and extrafibrillar mineralization of collagen scaffolds to mimic bone formation in vitro. Molecular dynamics simulation indicates that noncovalent hydrogen bonding provides the energy source that initiates self‐assembly of these nanomachines. Incorporation of the RNA–biomineral nanomachines into collagen scaffolds in vivo creates an osteoinductive microenvironment within a bone defect that is conducive to rapid biomineralization and osteogenesis. Addition of RNA‐degrading enzymes into RNA–biomineral nanomachines further creates a stop signal that inhibits unwarranted bone formation in tissues. The potential of RNA in building functional nanostructures has been underestimated in the past. The concept of RNA–biomineral nanomachines participating in physiological processes may transform the nanoscopic world of life science.

A Self-Assembling Peptide as a Model for Detection of Colorectal Cancer

“…Biomaterials, for example PHAs [ 39 ], have been used for multiple cell and tissue engineering applications. Compared to PHAs, the self-assembling peptide DRF3 is composed of amino acids and has better biocompatibility and a stronger scaffold structure and have been widely used to reconstruct normal stem cell niches for modeling neurogenesis [ 40 ], osteogenesis [ 41 ], and chondrogenesis [ 42 ]. Therefore, the hydrogel DRF3 combined with collagen type I, fibronectin, laminin was used to culture organoids.…”

Geometric and Electronic Structure‐Matched Superoxide Dismutase‐Like and Catalase‐Like Sequential Single‐Atom Nanozymes for Osteoarthritis Recession

“…[13][14][15] Despite cutting a figure in environment and energy catalysis chemistry, [16][17][18][19] some of these SACs that are harnessed as single atom nanozymes (SAzymes) burgeon in biomedical field. [7,14] Disappointingly, large differences between SAzymes and corresponding natural enzymes in terms of atomic structure, coordination number, coordinated atom type, and electronic coordination environment surrounding active atom centers remain inescapable. [20][21][22] These large differences discourage the catalytic kinetics and activity of current SAzymes, resulting in mismatch with natural enzymes.…”

“…[1] Encouragingly, the newly-emerging atomic metal distribution technology that disperse metal active centers and make them exposed offers a solution to improve catalytic activity, which can be identified as the most promising pathway to make the activity of artificial nanozymes approach natural enzyme. [4,5] Accordingly, various single-atom catalysts (SACs) using different metal active sites have been obtained, [6][7][8][9][10][11][12] featured of considerably-elevated catalytic activity…”

Marine‐Derived Hydrogels for Biomedical Applications

“…To repair damaged tissues and organs, current treatments rely on organ transplantation, which has the limitations such as donor scarcity and immune rejection. [54] The basic theory and method of tissue engineering are to combine normal tissue cells cultured in vitro with biological substances that have good compatibility and can be absorbed and degraded by the human body. After the construction process, the cell-biomaterial complex is implanted into the diseased part of the human tissue or organ.…”