During wound healing, fibroblasts undergo radical processes that impact their phenotype and behavior. They are activated, recruited to the injury site…

We have developed a unique method for pre-clinical heart valve prostheses evaluation of calcification propensity. Results from the test can directly be translated into improvements of prostheses desi...

Scanning multiphoton imaging of an intracranial aneurysm revealed a vasa vasorum plexus with both positive and deleterious roles.

Abstract. Endothelial to mesenchymal transition (EndMT) is a process whereby endothelial cells transition to adopt a mesenchymal-like fate, e.g. to become

Purpose of Review To provide an overview of human induced pluripotent stem cell (hiPSC)-derived cardiovascular lineages and describe their impact on drug testing in vitro. Recent Findings hiPSCs have ...

Treatment IC7Fc targets hepatic regulation of lipid metabolism and inflammation, ameliorating atherosclerosis in mice.

The advancement of electrophysiological mapping for cardiac arrhythmias relies critically on overcoming key interface challenges: long-term biocompatibility, spatial resolution limitations, and mechanical mismatch with dynamic cardiac tissue. To address these, we developed a rapid encapsulation method for liquid metal electrode arrays at the 10-μm scale, enabling the fabrication of ultrahigh-density and flexible sensor arrays (∼28570 sensors/cm2) within 30 min. It constructs a fully foldable, high-density heart–machine interface deployable via minimally invasive access (<3 mm folded diameter). The interface achieves high-resolution imaging (in rat, rabbit, and dog models) of microscale electrical heterogeneity (e.g., 0.2 mm2 reentrant pattern in ventricular fibrillation) while maintaining long-term reliability (100% electrode functionality over 98 days). This technology holds promise for advancing diverse human–machine interfaces for other organs and tissues, enabling the integration of multiple organs and even the whole body for comprehensive health management.

Tricuspid regurgitation (TR), once seen as benign, is now recognized as a serious and increasingly prevalent condition linked to aging and better imaging. Its association with greater morbidity and m....

In modern medicine, particularly in the field of cardiovascular (CV) diseases, complexity is the rule rather than the exception. Clinical presentations are

In situ tissue-engineered heart valves (TEHVs) using human cell-derived tissue engineered matrices (hTEMs) offer a promising solution to current heart…

Several decades of medical research have shown an intricate and definitive connection between dysfunctional endothelium and cardiovascular disorders, including atherosclerosis and peripheral artery di...

Cardiac regenerative therapies have seen limited clinical translation due to persistent challenges in stem cell viability, retention, and demonstration of efficacy. The pericardial space, however, has...

Purpose Chitosan-based materials are promising for wound healing because of their antibacterial efficacy, biocompatibility, and biodegradability, though their healing mechanisms remain unclear. This study explores the cellular and molecular mechanisms of wound healing with chitosan nanofibrous dressings. Methods Thirty-nine Sprague Dawley rats were divided into three groups based on the type of dressings administered: (1) chitosan nanofibrous dressing + transparent film, (2) commercial scaffold + transparent film, and (3) transparent film alone (control). Full-thickness wounds (2 cm × 2 cm) were created on the dorsum, splinted, and covered with dressings. Evaluations at 7, 14, and 21 days included histological analysis, and measurements of TNF-α and iNOS levels in the wounds. Results On day 21, epithelialization was significantly higher in the chitosan group than in the scaffold group (87.5% vs. 42.0%, p = 0.03). TNF-α levels were lower in both treatment groups compared to the controls. In the chitosan group, the CD68+/CD163+ ratio was lower than in the scaffold group (0.28 vs. 0.62, p = 0.037), and blood vessel formation was greater than in the controls. Conclusion These results suggest that chitosan nanofibrous dressings enhance acute wound healing in rats by promoting re-epithelialization, neovasculogenesis, and maintaining low TNF-α levels in the later phases of healing.

AbstractBackground and Aims. The biological pathways leading to elevated blood pressure (BP) and subsequent cardiovascular diseases (CVDs) remain incomplet

Pannexins (PANX1, PANX2, PANX3) are a family of large-pore, ion and metabolite channels present throughout the blood and lymphatic vascular networks. PANX1 has near-ubiquitous expression in the cardio...

Bovine jugular vein (BJV) valves are widely used in congenital heart surgery but are limited in durability due to structural valve degeneration (SVD). Here, we examine mechanisms of BJV prosthesis failure and test BJV modification with poly-2-methyl-2-oxazoline (POZ), a polymer shown to inhibit protein and advanced glycation end-product (AGE) absorption. Clinical BJV valve explants (Melody valve, N = 13) underwent Von Kossa staining and immunohistochemistry (IHC) for AGE, carboxymethyllysine (CML), and serum albumin (SA). Collagen structure was analyzed using second-harmonic generation (SHG) imaging. Unmodified and POZ-modified BJV valved conduits underwent 5-week in vitro glycation incubation. Effective orifice area (EOA) and mean pressure gradient (MPG) were recorded weekly using a heart pulse duplicator system. Following incubation, leaflet thickness, IHC, and SHG analyses were performed. In vivo 28-day subcutaneous BJV leaflet implantations were performed in juvenile rats for IHC. Clinical BJV explants demonstrated AGE, CML, and SA infiltration. In vitro glycation induced leaflet thickening (control, 0.03 ± 0.01 vs non-modified, 0.23 ± 0.07 mm, p < 0.001), CML and SA infiltration, and collagen disruption (alignment coefficient: control, 0.76 ± 0.03 vs non-modified, 0.50 ± 0.19, p < 0.01). POZ-modified leaflets remained similar in thickness to unglycated controls. POZ modification reduced CML and SA accumulation and mitigated collagen malalignment. BJV conduits did not reveal clinically significant changes in MPG or EOA. In vivo studies verified POZ modification protected against microcalcification as well as AGE, CML, and SA deposition. BJV valves are subject to SVD-related mechanisms of AGE accumulation, serum protein infiltration, and collagen misalignment. POZ modification mitigates BJV leaflet thickening, AGE and protein infiltration, and collagen disruption.

Background: Cardiovascular disease is a global leading cause of death, prompting coronary heart diseases and peripheral artery diseases due to atherosclerotic a...

AbstractBackground and Aims. Platelets are essential for haemostasis, thrombosis, and inflammation, with their functions controlled by receptor signalling

Up to 1 billion cardiomyocytes (CMs) die during myocardial infarction (MI), leading to permanent muscle loss and devasting functional impacts. Biomate…

Background Collective migration is the coordinated movement of a group of cells—a fundamental process in health and disease. Many models have been developed to study the molecular and physical mechanisms of collective migration. However, the aim of this study is to engineer a flexible in vitro framework that allows for mechanobiological quantification of the separate and combined contributions of individual cell mechanics to the directed migration of a collective. We utilised this framework to understand the role of juxtacrine Notch signalling during collective endothelial migration—an essential process during the formation of new blood vessels (known as angiogenesis). Results This framework enables users to perform high spatiotemporal analysis of migrative behaviour, cell–matrix traction forces, and intercellular forces in different microenvironments. With this framework, we show that Notch inhibited collectives adopt a distinct regime of directed collective migration. Whereas the directionality of migration, traction forces and intercellular forces are not affected by Notch inhibition, we observed spatiotemporal differences in migration speed, traction force magnitude and normal and shear stresses within Notch-inhibited collectives. Conclusions The in vitro framework is a powerful approach for dissecting the mechanisms of collective migration. With this framework, we show that a potential link exists between the juxtacrine signalling of Notch and an increased mechanical cohesiveness among collective cells.

Abstract. Multicellular spheroids have shown great promise in 3D biology. Many techniques exist to form spheroids, but how cells take mechanical advantage

Bhawana Singh, Ioanna Tzoulaki, Manuel Mayr; Precision medicine requires precision proteomics: Discordance between proteomic and clinical assays in UK Biob