Advanced Healthcare Materials

Important payloads of AZT-TP are adsorbed within the porous cages of Iron trimesate nanoparticles (MIL-100 nanoMOFs) by impregnation. The active triphosphorylated metabolites strongly interact with the nanoparticles matrix by P-O-Fe coordination and are efficiently delivered within HIV-infected human mononuclear cells, significantly inhibiting the viral replication.

Human glioblastoma cells cultured on various nanofiber topographies show marked differences in migratory behavior. Cells exhibits directional persistence on all aligned nanofiber of different diameters, but the migratory behavior is most similar to that in vivo on 400 nm fibers, which provides a unique in vitro culture substrate for development of therapies for treatment of glioblastoma multiforme.

Multifunctional polymeric nano- and microparticles are engineered as theranostic carriers and their selective size-dependent cellular uptake is demonstrated. It is found that effective uptake and accumulation of nanoparticles occurs in both normal and cancer cells, whereas, that of microparticles occurs in cancer cells but not in normal cells, allowing cancer cells to be specifically targeted for local drug delivery.

A simple method to form precise micropatterns of hydrophobic liquids using porous hydrophilic–hydrophobic substrates is presented. The micropatterns of hydrophobic liquid exhibit long-term stability, excellent cell-repellency, no cytotoxicity, and are more efficient than conventional PEG or superhydrophobic surfaces in controlling eukaryotic cell adhesion.

This is the first comprehensive review on common methodologies in morphological characterization of cellular systems. In this review, the underlying principles, assumptions, and limitations of morphological characterizations are discussed. The significance, challenges, and implications of quantitative morphometric characterization of cell shapes and sizes in cellular function are highlighted.