Papers, explained in our own words

1. Current progress of self‑healing polymers for medical applications in tissue engineering

Self-healing polymers can repair damage and recover functionality, potentially extending the lifetime and safety of biomedical devices. Although self-healing hydrogels have been reviewed previously, papers focused specifically on their use in tissue engineering are scarce. This review summarizes fabrication methods, polymers, biomedical examples, and recent progress in self-healing polymers for tissue engineering. Acylhydrazone-crosslinked nanocomposite hydrogel: self-healing efficiency 97.5%; nearly 100% cell viability. - P(BAL-co-DMSA) hydrogel: self-healing within ~5 s in air and underwater; stretchability ~4500%; complete.

2. Stealth Coating of Nanoparticles in Drug-Delivery Systems

Fam Sy, Chee Cf, Yong Cy, Ho Kl, Mariatulqabtiah Ar, Tan Ws.

Nanoparticles (NPs) interact extensively with plasma proteins after intravenous administration and are rapidly cleared by the mononuclear phagocyte system (MPS) or complement system, causing premature drug release at off-target sites. A stealth coating layer can improve blood circulation half-life by escaping immune recognition and clearance. Au-PEG10k: >95% still circulating 1 h after intravenous injection; Au-PEG750 did not show prolonged circulation. - Uncoated Au NPs and Au-PEG750: ~90% captured in liver and spleen after 1 h; Au-PEG10k: <5% at 1 h and.

3. Therapeutic efficacy of nanoparticles and routes of administration

Dhrisya Chenthamara, Sadhasivam Subramaniam, Sankar Ganesh Ramakrishnan, Swaminathan Krishnaswamy, Musthafa Mohamed Essa, Feng-Huei Lin, And M. Walid Qoronfleh

Despite enormous strides in nanotechnology research and development, it is often confusing for beginners to make an informed choice regarding the nanocarrier system and its potential applications. There is a need to provide a comprehensive overview of commonly used nanomaterials, their core properties, surface functionalization strategies, and the impact of different administration routes on drug delivery efficacy and biological barriers. PEGylated L-asparaginase: Circulation lifetime of 5.7 days in humans compared to 1.2 days for the original enzyme. - Albumin-bound paclitaxel (Abraxane): 4.5-fold increase in paclitaxel transport across endothelial.

4. Poly(Lactic-co-Glycolic Acid) Applications and Future Prospects for Periodontal Tissue Regeneration

Sun, X.; Wu, G.; Xu, C.; Ye, Q.; Wang, C

Periodontitis causes irreversible destruction of periodontal tissues, and regeneration requires biomaterials with suitable mechanical, degradation, and biological properties. PLGA is attractive for periodontal regeneration because of its biocompatibility, tunable degradation, and processability, but its hydrophobicity and limited bioactivity restrict performance. This review summarizes PLGA properties and progress as barrier membranes, bone. Rhesus monkey intrabony defects: PLGA membrane vs flap only: new cementum 2.74 vs 0.20 mm, new bone 2.64 vs 0.19 mm, connective tissue adhesion 2.80 vs 0.20 mm. - Class II furcation defects: PLGA membranes gave 250–350%.

5. Mimicking biological functionality with polymers for biomedical applications

Green, J. J.; Elisseeff, J. H

Biomaterials must increasingly do more than simply avoid rejection; they must actively mimic biological structures and functions to direct cell behavior, modulate immunity, and repair tissues. This review addresses how biologically inspired polymers can be designed for local tissue engineering, systemic therapeutic functions, and interfacial applications such as adhesives and lubricious coatings. Worm-like polymeric DNA nanoparticles delivered genes to rat liver with expression two and three orders of magnitude higher than rod-like nanoparticles and nanospheres, respectively. - Ellipsoidal aAPCs with high aspect.

6. Nanocarrier-based immunotherapy in cancer management and research

Singh Ms, Bhaskar S.

Cancer immunotherapy can induce specific antitumor immunity, control metastases, and provide immunological memory, but faces barriers including immunosuppressive tumor microenvironments and poor delivery of immunomodulators. Nanocarriers offer a versatile way to deliver antigens, adjuvants, cytokines, antibodies, and drugs to immune cells or tumors, improving stability, targeting, and controlled release. 25 nm and 100 nm OVA-conjugated polyhydroxylated NPs induced DC maturation and CD8+ T-cell activation comparable to OVA plus LPS; antibody titers persisted up to 21 days. - OVA encapsulated in PLGA NPs led to 1,000-fold.

7. Cationic polymers and their therapeutic potential

Samal, S. K.; Dash, M.; Van Vlierberghe, S.; Kaplan, D. L.; Chiellini, E.; Van Blitterswijk, C.; Moroni, L.; Dubruel, P

Cationic polymers are widely studied as non-viral gene delivery vectors, but their therapeutic potential extends well beyond gene delivery. This review addresses the need for a broader overview of cationic polymers — their synthesis, modification, bioactive properties, architectures, and applications in drug delivery, tissue engineering, and gene therapy — while highlighting toxicity, biodegradability, and clinical translation challenges. Chitosan–PEI derivatives showed transfection efficiency comparable to 25 kDa PEI with significantly reduced cytotoxicity. - Heparin–PEI nanoparticles delivering mouse survivin-T34A achieved 31% transfection efficiency.

8. Poly(ethylene glycol) in Drug Delivery Pros and Cons as Well as Potential Alternatives

Knop, K.; Hoogenboom, R.; Fischer, D.; Schubert, U. S

PEG is the gold-standard stealth polymer for drug delivery, but its widespread use has revealed possible side effects and complications, including hypersensitivity, altered pharmacokinetics, toxic side products, stress-induced degradation, and non-biodegradability. This review critically discusses PEG’s advantages and drawbacks and evaluates potential alternative polymers for forming hydrophilic carrier shells. PEGylated catalase: blood circulation time extended from 12 h to 48 h while maintaining enzyme activity. - Noncoated PLGA particles: 66% removed by liver within 5 min; less than 30% of 20 kDa PEG-coated nanospheres.

9. Nanoparticle-based targeted drug delivery

Singh R, Lillard Jw Jr.

Nanotechnology enables control and manufacture of structures in the nanometer range, and nanoparticles exhibit novel properties that differ from bulk materials. There is a need for targeted drug delivery systems that improve solubility, bioavailability, sustained release, protection from degradation, and site-specific delivery while reducing systemic toxicity—especially for cancer, vaccines, and oral protein therapeutics. 100 nm nanoparticles had 2.5-fold greater uptake than 1 µm microparticles and 6-fold greater uptake than 10 µm microparticles by Caco-2 cells. - DOX-dendrimer was >10 times less toxic than free DOX to colon carcinoma.

10. Polymers for gene delivery across length scales

Putnam D

Synthetic polymer-based gene delivery vectors have been studied for two decades but remain far less efficient than viral vectors. The review addresses the need for improved design criteria and new synthetic strategies across nano-, micro-, and macroscale delivery systems to overcome formulation, organism-level, and cellular barriers to DNA delivery. Representative findings highlighted in the review: - Combinatorial peptoid library: 67 structures synthesized from 13 side chains; 24 tested for transfection. Optimal activity required a repeating motif of two phenyl.