These versatile cells, known for their multiple roles in engulfing and digesting cellular debris, pathogens, and attacking cancer cells as well as rebuilding damaged tissue, are at the center of a new wave of treatments. Companies around the world are exploiting the unique properties of macrophages to develop groundbreaking therapies for a wide range of diseases.
One of the most significant hurdles in combating metastatic cancer is the delivery of protein drugs to the affected sites. The cancer cells fortify themselves behind endothelial barriers and extracellular matrix, making it difficult for therapeutic agents to reach and destroy them. Employing phagocytic immune cells as Trojan horses to overcome these barriers has immense potential.
2D Primary human hepatocyte cultures can suffer from rapid dedifferentiation and loss of liver-specific functions. The advent of three-dimensional (3D) cell culture technologies, such as hepatocyte spheroids offered by Cell Guidance Systems has revolutionized the field.
The extracellular matrix (ECM) is a vital component for the growth and function of any cell. It typically contains a mix of fibrous and non-fibrous proteins such as collagen, laminin and fibronectin, proteoglycans, growth factors and signalling molecules that provide both structural and biochemical support for cells.
Cancer treatment has long been a battlefield of precision, targeting tumors with treatments like surgery, chemotherapy, and radiation. However, a rare and fascinating phenomenon known as the abscopal effect has intrigued oncologists and researchers, offering a glimpse into the hidden power of the body to fight cancer beyond the direct line of treatment.
Increasing antibiotic resistance amongst pathogens is alarming. Self-assembling peptides (SAPHs) such as PeptiGel are a class of peptides that can spontaneously organize into well-defined structures, such as fibres, gels, or nanoparticles, under certain conditions. When designed to have antimicrobial properties, these peptides can offer several benefits and face various challenges when used as anti-microbial peptides (AMPs).
The extracellular matrix (ECM) is one of the major structural components of the tumour microenvironment, as it is made up of a network of biochemically different components such as fibrous proteins, glycoproteins, proteoglycans and polysaccharides. This makes its structure highly dynamic with various ECM components being deposited, modified or degraded on a regular basis, and the structure undergoing constant remodelling.
The efficacy of chemokines and cytokines can vary depending on the type of cancer and the individual immune response of each pateint. However, some cytokines and chemokines stand out for their promise in cancer immunotherapy based on their roles in modulating the immune response. The following is a brief summary of some of these. They are listed in rough order of their relative importance.
In a technology breakthrough utilizing both PODS and PeptiGel, researchers at the University of California in San Diego have used a microfluidic approach to accurately generate vestibular nerve cells to improve electrical vestibular stimulation (EVS) prosthetic outcomes.
Depot formulations combine an active substance with an excipient to provide controlled release of the active substance over a sustained period of time. Burst release is uncontrolled release which occurs when a large proportion of the active substance in a depot formulation is rapidly released in the first few minutes and hours. Following burst release, a more constant, slow release is then achieved.
