Abstract: Effective vascularization is crucial for the success of tissue engineering and is influenced by numerous factors. The present work focuses on investigating the effect of a substance, cyanobacteria-loaded oxygen-releasing hydrogel, on vascularization and verifying the effect of photosynthetic-oxygen-releasing biomaterials containing a cyanobacteria hydrogel on angiogenesis, using the chick chorioallantoic membrane (CAM) as a model system. On the eighth day of embryonic development, cyanobacterial microspheres were placed on the CAM and maintained in a light incubator under appropriate growth and photosynthesis conditions. The effect of cyanobacterial microspheres on vascularization was evaluated from the eighth day of embryonic development. The carrier material used to prepare the

Abstract:As an open microfluidic technology with excellent anti-fouling and energy-saving properties, liquid gating technology can selectively separate or transfer multiphase fluids, which has shown great application value in the field of biomedical engineering. However, no study has demonstrated that liquid gating technology has the ability to transfer high-viscosity fluids and biologically active substances, and current liquid gating valves are unable to realize smart-responsive pulsed-patterned transfer, which severely limits their application scope. In this paper, liquid gating technology is combined with magnetically responsive materials to prepare a liquid-based magnetic porous membrane (LMPM) with excellent magnetostatic deformation capability and antifouling properties. On this bas

Abstract:Microfluidics, with its remarkable capacity to manipulate fluids and droplets at the microscale, has emerged as a powerful platform in numerous fields. In contrast to conventional closed microchannel microfluidic systems, free-boundary microfluidic manufacturing (FBMM) processes continuous precursor fluids into jets or droplets in a relatively spacious environment. FBMM is highly regarded for its superior flexibility, stability, economy, usability, and versatility in the manufacturing of advanced materials and architectures. In this review, a comprehensive overview of recent advancements in FBMM is provided, encompassing technical principles, advanced material manufacturing, and their applications. FBMM is categorized based on the foundational mechanisms, primarily comprising hydr

Abstract:Deep cutaneous infections pose formidable challenges for conventional topical treatments due to limited drug transdermal efficiency and inadequate antifungal properties. This paper presents a rational engineering approach to develop biodegradable and multifunctional microneedles (MNs) that can be easily tailored for the co-delivery of both hydrophilic and hydrophobic drugs, aimed at the combined treatment of cutaneous infections. Polymyxin B (PB)-loaded Polyvinyl pyrrolidone (PVP) is casted to fabricate microneedle array, then followed by an electrospray coating of curcumin (CUR)-loaded poly(lactic-co-glycolic acid) (PLGA) particles, affording the resultant PB-PVP-MN@CUR-PLGA. Rational coating of hydrophobic PLGA shell can significantly withstand humidity, wound exudate, and pus.

Abstract:Spatial deposition and patterning of microparticles are crucial in chemistry, medicine, and biology. Existing technologies like electric force manipulation, despite precise trajectory control, struggle with complex and personalized patterns. Key challenges include adjusting the quantity of particles deposited in different areas and accurately depositing particles in non-continuous patterns. Here, we present a rational process termed combinatory electric-field-guided deposition (CED) for achieving spatially regulated microparticle deposition on insulative substrates. This process involves coating the substrates with insulating materials like PVP and positioning it on a relief-patterned negative electrode. The negative electric field generated by the electrode attracts microparticle

Abstract:The development of precision personalized medicine poses a significant need for the next generation of advanced diagnostic and therapeutic technologies, and one of the key challenges is the development of highly time-, space-, and dose-controllable drug delivery systems that respond to the complex physiopathology of patient populations. In response to this challenge, an increasing number of stimuli-responsive smart materials are integrated into biomaterial systems for precise targeted drug delivery. Among them, responsive microcapsules prepared by droplet microfluidics have received much attention. In this study, we present a UV-visible light cycling mediated photoswitchable microcapsule (PMC) with dynamic permeability-switching capability for precise and tailored drug release. Th

Abstract：In the field of tissue engineering, local hypoxia in large-cell structures (larger than 1 mm3) poses a significant challenge. Oxygen-releasing biomaterials supply an innovative solution through oxygen ⁠ delivery in a sustained and controlled manner. Compared to traditional methods such as emulsion, sonication, and agitation, microfluidic technology offers distinct benefits for oxygen-releasing material production, including controllability, flexibility, and applicability. It holds enormous potential in the production of smart oxygen-releasing materials. This review comprehensively covers the fabrication and application of microfluidic-enabled oxygen-releasing biomaterials. To begin with, the physical mechanism of various microfluidic technologies and their differences in oxygen ca

Abstract: Droplet-based printing is increasingly popular for flexible sensors, soft robotics, bioprinting, and bioinspired structures. However, programmable multi-interface droplet printing with a wide Z number (reciprocal of the Ohnesorge number) remains challenging. We present a method, programmable pulsed aerodynamic printing (PPAP), for patterning soft materials with extensive material compatibility and multi-scale and multi-interface properties. PPAP utilizes programmable pulsed airflow to shear pendant droplets at the nozzle orifice, covering a broad range of parameter domains. Owing to its co-flow configuration, PPAP can accurately print droplets with shell-core, Janus, and combined morphologies. The multi-interface droplet size is independent of its physicochemical parameters and c

Abstract: Microfluidics, with its remarkable capacity to manipulate fluids and droplets at the microscale, has emerged as a powerful platform in numerous fields. In contrast to conventional closed microchannel microfluidic systems, free-boundary microfluidic manufacturing (FBMM) processes continuous precursor fluids into jets or droplets in a relatively spacious environment. FBMM is highly regarded for its superior flexibility, stability, economy, usability, and versatility in the manufacturing of advanced materials and architectures. In this review, a comprehensive overview of recent advancements in FBMM is provided, encompassing technical principles, advanced material manufacturing, and their applications. FBMM is categorized based on the foundational mechanisms, primarily comprising hyd

Abstract: Oxygen is critical to the survival, function and fate of mammalian cells. Oxygen tension controls cellular behavior through metabolic programming, which in turn controls tissue regeneration. A variety of biomaterials with oxygen-releasing capabilities have been developed to provide oxygen supply to ensure cell survival and differentiation for therapeutic efficacy, and to prevent hypoxia-induced tissue damage and cell death. However, controlling the oxygen release with spatial and temporal accuracy is still technically challenging. In this review, we provide a comprehensive overview of organic and inorganic materials available as oxygen sources, including hemoglobin-based oxygen carriers (HBOCs), perfluorocarbons (PFCs), photosynthetic organisms, solid and liquid peroxides, and so

Abstract: Microencapsulation of phase-change materials (PCMs) is of great value and significance for improving energy efficiency and reducing carbon dioxide emissions. Here, highly controllable phase-change microcapsules (PCMCs) with hexadecane as the core material and polyurea as the shell material were developed for precise temperature regulation. A universal liquid-driven active flow focusing technique platform was used to adjust the diameter of PCMCs, and the shell thickness can be controlled by adjusting the monomer ratio. In synchronized regime, the droplet size is only related to the flow rate and excitation frequency, which can be accurately predicted by the scaling law. The fabricated PCMCs have uniform particle size with a coefficient of variation (CV) under 2%, smooth surface, a

Abstract: Collecting water from fog by microscale fibrous materials is a promising solution to the global water scarcity crisis. However, the previously designed fog harvesting microfibers solely imitate the characteristic structure of the wetted spider silk and have a limited water collection ability. To improve the water collection efficiency, we introduce a dynamic interfacial spinning (DIS) process to fabricate a novel type of fog harvesting microfibers that combine multiple biomimetic structures. Specifically, the DIS process utilizes a tunable vibration of the spinning nozzle at the air–liquid interface to facilitate the facile and controllable generation of the spider-silk-like microfibers consisting of periodic spindle knots and slender joints. Attributed to their distinct surface