Natalia Antonova, Natalia Vakula, Ermei Mäkilä, Leonnam Gotardo Merízio, Hannah Byron, Sami Vuori, Hongbo Zhang, Heli R S Larjava, Agata Szczodra, Dariusz Hreniak, Jonathan Massera, Laeticia Petit, Mika Lastusaari
{"title":"Using NIR-emitting MgO:Li,Ce,Sm microparticles in the preparation of biophotonic glass - a promising approach to enable optical NIR imaging.","authors":"Natalia Antonova, Natalia Vakula, Ermei Mäkilä, Leonnam Gotardo Merízio, Hannah Byron, Sami Vuori, Hongbo Zhang, Heli R S Larjava, Agata Szczodra, Dariusz Hreniak, Jonathan Massera, Laeticia Petit, Mika Lastusaari","doi":"10.1039/d6bm00188b","DOIUrl":"10.1039/d6bm00188b","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>One significant challenge in working with reconstructive bioactive glass implants is the difficulty in postoperative imaging, due to their density being very similar to that of bone. One possibility to overcome this problem would be to use luminescent implants that could be imaged through tissue. This requires the emission from the implants to be within the so-called biological windows in deep red and near-infrared regions, where tissue absorption is minimal. Here, we show for the first time that MgO:Li,Ce,Sm phosphor particles emitting in red and near-infrared regions can be used to create a bioactive glass composite capable of emitting in the near-infrared region. We demonstrate that these materials show high promise for use in optical imaging through tissue under X-ray exposure. Such a technology has never been reported before. Thus, using the materials of this work may enable for the first time the identification and differentiation of implant and bone signals in a single simultaneous imaging setup.</p>","PeriodicalId":65,"journal":{"name":"Biomaterials Science","volume":" ","pages":"4863-4874"},"PeriodicalIF":6.1,"publicationDate":"2026-09-15","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"148676163","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Florian Vanlauwe, Thais De Witte, Gerben Michiels, Viktor Eeckhout, Arjen Dewaele, Amber De Meulenaere, Ode Mattheeuws, Sabina Shamieva, Eylul Aslan, Laura Schelfaut, Pieter Vervaeke, Thomas Naert, Sandra Van Vlierberghe, Niek N Sanders, Phillip Blondeel
{"title":"Engineered adipose-derived stem cells with self-amplifying RNA enhance vascular network formation in porous GelMA hydrogels.","authors":"Florian Vanlauwe, Thais De Witte, Gerben Michiels, Viktor Eeckhout, Arjen Dewaele, Amber De Meulenaere, Ode Mattheeuws, Sabina Shamieva, Eylul Aslan, Laura Schelfaut, Pieter Vervaeke, Thomas Naert, Sandra Van Vlierberghe, Niek N Sanders, Phillip Blondeel","doi":"10.1039/d6bm00076b","DOIUrl":"10.1039/d6bm00076b","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Dependence on exogenous growth factor (GF) supplementation of culture media and the limited diffusion of these GFs in densely populated hydrogel structures remain major obstacles to achieving extensive vascularization in engineered tissues. Here, we introduce a biofabrication strategy that embeds cellulose-purified self-amplifying RNA (saRNA)-engineered adipose-derived stem cells (ASCs) within hydrogels constructs, enhancing endogenous GF production and paracrine signaling. Compared with a no-transfection control, which exhibited only 10 ± 7 mm mm<sup>-3</sup> of vasculogenic network formation and 0.2 ± 0.25 mm of sprouting per spheroid within porous gelatin methacryloyl scaffolds, dual VEGF/FGF2 expression induced by saRNA produced markedly stronger outcomes, yielding 25.3 ± 11.3 mm mm<sup>-3</sup> of network formation and 1.85 ± 0.8 mm of sprouting after 7 days of culture. This system is also compatible with 3D bioprinting, enabling engineered ASCs to be precisely bioprinted at defined locations within the hydrogel structure. Moreover, within bioprinted constructs, this system allows microvascular networks formed by engineered spheroids to extend toward surrounding macrovascular channel structures. Collectively, these results demonstrate a versatile platform where cell-mediated GF delivery promotes vascularization of tissue-engineered constructs while substantially minimizing the need for exogenous GF supplementation.</p>","PeriodicalId":65,"journal":{"name":"Biomaterials Science","volume":" ","pages":"5011-5030"},"PeriodicalIF":6.1,"publicationDate":"2026-09-15","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"148757087","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Cinnamaldehyde-loaded gold nanobipyramids for dual-amplification of oxidative stress to enhance cancer catalytic therapy.","authors":"Ting Yin, Yixi Wang, Mingyuan Li, Zeqiang Liu, Junjian Hu, Jianbo Sun, Kexin Guo, Dou Zhang, Daxiang Cui","doi":"10.1039/d6bm00679e","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1039/d6bm00679e","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Various inorganic nanozymes have been developed to generate highly reactive hydroxyl radicals (˙OH) through enzyme-mimetic catalytic activity for applications in catalytic therapy. However, the elevated levels of the antioxidant glutathione (GSH) in tumor cells can effectively neutralize ˙OH, thereby diminishing the therapeutic efficacy of these nanozymes, a prevalent issue in catalytic therapy. In this study, gold nanobipyramids (GNB) were integrated with cinnamaldehyde (CA) <i>via</i> electrostatic adsorption and hydrogen bonding to develop a nanozyme platform (GNB@CA) capable of tumor-specifically enhancing oxidative stress. GNB possess intrinsic peroxidase (POD)-like activity, enabling the conversion of endogenous hydrogen peroxide (H<sub>2</sub>O<sub>2</sub>) into highly toxic ˙OH for catalytic therapy. Additionally, their photothermal conversion capability further boosts catalytic efficiency. CA exerts its effects through dual mechanisms: its α,β-unsaturated aldehyde group covalently binds to the thiol group of GSH <i>via</i> a Michael addition reaction, leading to a reduction in intracellular GSH and thereby weakening the antioxidant defense of tumor cells. Additionally, CA induces mitochondrial dysfunction by lowering the mitochondrial membrane potential, subsequently triggering tumor cell apoptosis. <i>In vivo</i> studies demonstrate that GNB@CA can effectively eradicate triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC) in mice through synergistic induction of robust oxidative stress. This research offers valuable insights for the design of nanozymes in catalytic cancer therapy.</p>","PeriodicalId":65,"journal":{"name":"Biomaterials Science","volume":" ","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":6.1,"publicationDate":"2026-09-11","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"148928411","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Shameer Pillarisetti, Padmanaban Sathiyamoorthy, Tae-Young Jung, Saji Uthaman, In-Kyu Park
{"title":"Targeted immunomodulation with CD44-targeting nanovaccine enhances antitumor immunity in melanoma through TLR7/8 and TLR3 agonists.","authors":"Shameer Pillarisetti, Padmanaban Sathiyamoorthy, Tae-Young Jung, Saji Uthaman, In-Kyu Park","doi":"10.1039/d6bm01033d","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1039/d6bm01033d","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Cancer is a leading cause of death. Melanoma, a highly metastatic and aggressive skin cancer, has seen rising mortality rates despite advancements in chemotherapy. Recently, immunotherapy has emerged as a promising approach to address the limitations of conventional treatments. This study developed a tumor microenvironment-sensitive nanoparticle (HA-NPs) for a nanovaccine. The nanoparticle is composed of CD44-targeting hyaluronic acid, pH-responsive ammonium bicarbonate, resiquimod (a TLR-7/8 agonist), Poly I:C (a TLR-3 agonist), and the tumor-specific antigen ovalbumin (OVA), ensuring a targeted and effective approach to treatment. The combination of dual adjuvants (R848 and Poly I:C) enhances the immune response, while ammonium bicarbonate ensures pH sensitivity, improving targeted delivery and effectiveness in the tumor microenvironment. The antitumor efficacy of the nanovaccine was evaluated in a highly immunogenic, OVA-expressing B16F10 murine tumor model. The intratumoral administration of HA-NPs harnessed the adjuvant potency of R848 and Poly IC, thus enhancing antitumor immunity. Additionally, immune cell profiling revealed elevated levels of mature dendritic cells <i>in vitro</i>, as well as CD8<sup>+</sup> T cells, and reduced levels of tumor-associated immunosuppressive cells (TAICs), such as regulatory T (Treg) cells, within the tumors. Overall, this study demonstrated the potential of HA-NPs to elicit antitumor solid immunity through the targeted immunomodulation of antigen-presenting cells and the reduction of tumor-associated immune cells (TAICs), offering a promising avenue for melanoma treatment.</p>","PeriodicalId":65,"journal":{"name":"Biomaterials Science","volume":" ","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":6.1,"publicationDate":"2026-09-11","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"148928423","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"High-viscosity hydrogels in cartilage injury and osteochondral defect repair: mechanisms, design strategies, and clinical translation.","authors":"Shihao Li, Yulin Zhao, Pei Zhang, Yang Hao, Pengzhong Fang, Baoshuai Bai, Dong Lei, Zhuo Liang, Wenjie Ren","doi":"10.1039/d6bm00992a","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1039/d6bm00992a","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Cartilage injury and osteochondral defects remain major clinical challenges owing to the limited intrinsic regenerative capacity of cartilage and the inability of current treatments to restore durable hyaline tissue. Conventional hydrogels often fail under joint loading because of insufficient mechanical stability, poor interfacial integration, and limited biological responsiveness. In this review, high-viscosity hydrogels (HVHs) are considered within a performance-based framework that integrates post-deployment cohesion and structural retention, viscoelastic energy dissipation, and reversible network reconfiguration to provide both mechanical support and biological regulation. Through multilevel design strategies, including double-network structures, reversible crosslinking, nanocomposite reinforcement, and stimuli-responsive modules, HVHs establish highly cohesive yet reconfigurable matrices capable of stress dissipation, self-adaptation, and sustained bioactive factor delivery. Beyond structural functions, HVHs actively regulate mechanobiological signaling by modulating matrix stiffness, stress relaxation, immune responses, and stem-cell fate, thereby promoting chondrogenic differentiation, suppressing hypertrophy, and facilitating extracellular matrix deposition. Recent advances in gradient and biphasic HVH systems further enable coordinated regeneration of cartilage and subchondral bone, supporting functional osteochondral integration through spatially controlled mechanical and biochemical cues. Emerging technologies such as 3D/4D printing, artificial intelligence-assisted material optimization, and organoid-based validation are accelerating the development of personalized and adaptive regenerative platforms. Although challenges remain regarding long-term mechanical durability, degradation-regeneration matching, and clinical standardization, HVHs represent a promising paradigm that integrates dynamic network engineering, mechanobiological regulation, osteochondral reconstruction, and translational adaptability. This review summarizes recent advances in HVH design and application, highlighting their potential to reshape future strategies for cartilage and osteochondral regeneration through intelligent, biomimetic, and clinically translatable material systems.</p>","PeriodicalId":65,"journal":{"name":"Biomaterials Science","volume":" ","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":6.1,"publicationDate":"2026-09-09","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"148910318","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Rossella Laurano, Viviana Pinto Ribeiro, Cláudia S Oliveira, Alessandro Torrisi, Alessandro Ligas, Monica Boffito, Freni K Tavaria, Ana Leite Oliveira, Gianluca Ciardelli
{"title":"Customized pH-responsive poly(urethane)-based formulations treating chronic skin wound inflammation and promoting tissue regeneration.","authors":"Rossella Laurano, Viviana Pinto Ribeiro, Cláudia S Oliveira, Alessandro Torrisi, Alessandro Ligas, Monica Boffito, Freni K Tavaria, Ana Leite Oliveira, Gianluca Ciardelli","doi":"10.1039/d6bm00877a","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1039/d6bm00877a","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Severe inflammation and infections are major contributors to wound chronicity. Although various wound dressings have been engineered to deliver therapeutics locally, the lack of patient personalization is still a limiting factor. In this endeavor, this work aims to establish an adaptable therapeutic strategy by combining stimuli-responsive materials and 3D bioprinting for the prospective fabrication of shape-personalized patches capable of tuning payload release in response to the alkalinity of infected wound exudates. First, a -COOH-bearing amphiphilic poly(ether urethane) was synthesized and used to formulate thermo-/alkaline-pH-responsive hydrogels, while human recombinant lactoferrin (hrLF) was selected for its naturally derived therapeutic properties. Then, the hrLF-loaded hydrogel thermo-responsiveness was rheologically assessed, while the hrLF suitability for the biologically aggressive environment of chronic wounds was evaluated through UV/Vis spectroscopy and a colorimetric assay. Moreover, a finely tuned drug release was observed in response to pH <i>via</i> a non-Fickian diffusion mechanism. Furthermore, in <i>in vitro</i> studies on simplified inflamed wounds, hrLF promoted human dermal fibroblast proliferation (increased DNA content), exerted anti-inflammatory effects (reduced expression of TNF-α, IL-1β and IL-6), and exhibited bacteriostatic activity against <i>Staphylococcus aureus</i>. Finally, the hrLF-loaded hydrogel showed promising processability as a biomaterial ink. Overall, the engineered system showed strong adaptation to the dynamic wound environment.</p>","PeriodicalId":65,"journal":{"name":"Biomaterials Science","volume":" ","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":6.1,"publicationDate":"2026-09-08","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"148904769","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Structure-activity relationship screening of poly(L-ornithine)-based antimicrobial peptide mimetics for peritonitis therapy.","authors":"Xingan Han, Zeji Wang, Qingshuang Yang, Changling Liu, Chunyan Li, Xiaohui Zhang","doi":"10.1039/d6bm01073c","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1039/d6bm01073c","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Peritonitis is commonly encountered in clinical settings, such as intra-abdominal infection, abdominal surgery, and peritoneal dialysis-associated infection. It progresses rapidly and remains difficult to treat. Antimicrobial peptides (AMPs) exhibit broad-spectrum antibacterial activity and a low potential to induce resistance; however, natural peptides are readily degraded by proteases, which limits their applications in complex infectious environments. Poly(L-ornithine) (PLO) contains a non-natural amino acid structure and exhibits favorable enzymatic stability and cationic characteristics, making it a promising backbone for constructing AMP mimetics. In this study, a series of PLO-based derivatives (PLO(<i>m</i>)) were synthesized, and the relationship between the degree of hydrophobic modification and both antibacterial activity and biocompatibility was systematically evaluated. Specifically, cyclobutyl hydrophobic groups were introduced into the side chains in different proportions. The results showed that PLO(20%) provided the optimal compromise between antibacterial efficacy and safety. Its antibacterial action was primarily attributed to the disruption of bacterial membrane integrity, and its activity was not affected by pH, salt ions, or proteases. Moreover, PLO(20%) effectively suppressed biofilm formation and could eliminate established biofilms. In a mouse methicillin-resistant <i>Staphylococcus aureus</i> (MRSA) peritonitis model, PLO(20%) reduced bacterial burdens in the peritoneal cavity and major organs and improved survival, with no obvious tissue toxicity observed. These findings indicate that regulating the hydrophobic modification ratio of PLO is an effective strategy to obtain efficient and safe AMP mimetics, providing a promising candidate material for the treatment of complex infections such as peritonitis.</p>","PeriodicalId":65,"journal":{"name":"Biomaterials Science","volume":" ","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":6.1,"publicationDate":"2026-09-07","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"148899749","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Self-assembly of DOPA-containing peptides for enhanced antimicrobial efficacy and promoted wound healing.","authors":"Xiang Zhou, Xinyao Wang, Haozhan Wang, Cong Zhang, Farong Ye, Chanjuan Liu, Deyue Yan, Ping Wang, Ping Huang","doi":"10.1039/d6bm00836d","DOIUrl":"10.1039/d6bm00836d","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Bacterial infection and excessive reactive oxygen species (ROS) accumulation synergistically disrupt the wound microenvironment and severely impair the healing process. Therefore, multifunctional biomaterials with intrinsic antibacterial and antioxidant properties are highly desirable for the effective treatment of infected wounds. Here, we rationally designed and synthesized two DOPA-containing constitutional isomeric peptides with dual antimicrobial and antioxidant activities, each containing one 3,4-dihydroxy-L-phenylalanine (DOPA), four tryptophan residues (W), and three arginine residues (R), and designated as WRWRWRW(DOPA) and WWWWRRR(DOPA), respectively. These peptides can self-assemble in aqueous solutions into different morphologies, with WRWRWRW(DOPA) forming vesicles, whereas WWWWRRR(DOPA) assembles into micelles. Notably, both self-assembled nanostructures exhibited enhanced antibacterial activity compared with their corresponding peptide precursors, and the vesicular assemblies showed superior antimicrobial efficacy relative to their micellar counterparts. Based on these findings, the vesicle-forming peptide system was further investigated for ROS-scavenging capability and wound healing performance. The results demonstrated that the vesicular assemblies possessed efficient ROS elimination capacity and significantly promoted infected wound repair. Overall, this work highlights the critical role played by the morphology of self-assembled nanostructures in regulating antimicrobial and antioxidant performance, providing a promising strategy for the design of multifunctional peptide-based systems for infected wound therapy.</p>","PeriodicalId":65,"journal":{"name":"Biomaterials Science","volume":" ","pages":"4665-4675"},"PeriodicalIF":6.1,"publicationDate":"2026-08-25","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"148589355","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Effect of axial stress-loaded magnesium alloy intramedullary nails on bone fracture healing.","authors":"Delin Ma, Qichao Zhao, Chaoyang Jin, Yunhao Zhang, Mingran Zheng, Jun Wang, Jingyu Zhao, Junfei Huang, Wenxiang Li, Shijie Zhu, Liguo Wang, Xiaochao Wu, Shaokang Guan","doi":"10.1039/d6bm00690f","DOIUrl":"10.1039/d6bm00690f","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Biodegradable magnesium (Mg) alloys are promising orthopedic implants. However, the synergistic effects of their degradation and physiological loading on fracture healing require further investigation. This study evaluated Mg-Zn-Y-Nd alloy intramedullary (IM) nails in a rat tibiofibular fracture model under 10 N axial loading. A combined approach of finite element analysis (FEA) and <i>in vivo</i> experiments was utilized to assess stress distribution, degradation kinetics and biological response. FEA validated a dynamic load-sharing mechanism, where maximum callus strain decreased from 1530 to 233 με as mineralization progressed, effectively shifting mechanical load from the IM nail to the regenerated bone and mitigating stress-shielding. <i>In vivo</i>, the Mg-Zn-Y-Nd nail exhibited controlled degradation (peaking at 0.74 mm per year) synchronized with healing phases, without premature stress-corrosion failure. Radiographic and micro-CT analyses revealed that Mg-based implants significantly accelerated healing compared to stainless steel, with the Mg-load group exhibiting superior bone volume fraction and trabecular architecture. Mechanistically, FITC staining showed that early-stage high strain (1530 με) modulated osteocyte morphology into a spindle-shaped alignment (aspect ratio reached 2.5), which is essential for establishing structural anisotropy and bone quality.The Mg-Zn-Y-Nd IM nail acts as a bioactive interface where Mg release and mechanical loading synergistically promote rapid, high-quality bone regeneration. This study provides a robust biomechanical foundation for the clinical translation of load-bearing biodegradable fixations.</p>","PeriodicalId":65,"journal":{"name":"Biomaterials Science","volume":" ","pages":"4676-4686"},"PeriodicalIF":6.1,"publicationDate":"2026-08-25","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"148596664","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Advanced biomaterial strategies for 3D <i>in vitro</i> biomimetic neuroblastoma cell culture.","authors":"Nathan Thibieroz, Catherine Picart, Elisa Migliorini","doi":"10.1039/d6bm00438e","DOIUrl":"10.1039/d6bm00438e","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Neuroblastoma is the most common extracranial solid tumor of infancy, and a lethal form of paediatric cancer. The treatment of this cancer remains challenging due to its heterogeneity. In some cases, the cancer regresses to become benign, while in others it becomes highly aggressive. In this latter case, the level of sensitivity to treatments such as retinoic acid cannot be predicted. An <i>in vitro</i> avatar of the patient's cancer would be of great value to identify the most effective treatment. In order to better understand the biology of this cancer and to find strategies for its treatment, the scientific community is devoted to developing 3D biomimetic approaches. The purpose of this review is to identify and explain the various techniques of 3D culture, to present their advantages and disadvantages, and their capacity to reproduce <i>in vivo</i> phenomena. It will also provide examples of their uses. While some models such as hydrogels and organoids/spheroids are already established, some upcoming techniques emerging from recent technological developments will allow the development of models that enable deeper control of architecture and functionalization parameters, thanks to the use of 3D printing, photo-polymerization, bioprinting, and fused deposition modeling.</p>","PeriodicalId":65,"journal":{"name":"Biomaterials Science","volume":" ","pages":"4418-4434"},"PeriodicalIF":6.1,"publicationDate":"2026-08-25","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"148416950","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}