Effect of Collagen Nanofibers and Silanization on the Interaction of HaCaT Keratinocytes and 3T3 Fibroblasts with Alumina Nanopores.

During wound healing, a complex cascade of cellular and molecular events occurs, which is governed by topographical and biochemical cues. Therefore, optimal tissue repair requires scaffold materials with versatile structural and biochemical features. Nanoporous anodic aluminum oxide (AAO) membranes exhibit good biocompatibility along with customizable nanotopography and antimicrobial properties, which has brought them into the focus of wound treatment. However, despite their good permeability, such bioinert ceramic nanopores cannot actively promote cell growth as they lack biochemical cues to support specific ligand-receptor interactions. Therefore, we modified AAO nanopores with the biochemical features of collagen nanofibers or amino groups provided by silanization with (3-aminopropyl)triethoxysilane (APTES) to design a permeable scaffold material that can additionally promote cell adhesion. Viability assays revealed that the metabolic activity of both 3T3 fibroblasts and HaCaT keratinocytes on bare and silanized AAO pores was comparable to glass controls until 72 h. Interestingly, both cell types showed a reduced proliferation on AAO with collagen nanofibers. Nevertheless, scanning electron and fluorescence microscopy revealed that 3T3 fibroblasts exhibited a well-spread morphology with filopodia attached to the nanoporous surface of the underlying AAO membranes or nanofibrous collagen networks, thus indicating a close interaction with the composites. Keratinocytes, although growing in clusters on bare and APTES-modified AAO, also adhered well on collagen-modified AAO membranes. When in contact with Escherichia coli suspensions for 20 h, the AAO membranes successfully prevented bacteria penetration irrespective of the biochemical functionalization. In summary, both functionalization strategies have high potential to specifically control molecular signaling and cell migration to further develop alumina nanopores for wound healing.

Magnetic Field Guided Chemotaxis of iMushbots for Targeted Anticancer Therapeutics.

We report controlled migrations of an intelligent and biocompatible "iMushbot" composed of Agaricus bisporus, mushroom microcapsules coated with magnetite nanoparticles. The otherwise randomly moving microbot could meticulously direct itself toward and away from the acid- and alkali-rich regions with the help of acid, acidic catalase, and alkali stimuli, emulating the chemotaxis of microorganisms. Although the catalytic decomposition of peroxide-fuel in alkali engendered the directed alkali taxis toward higher pH region, decomposition of peroxide fuel by the acidic catalase activity led to directed acid taxis toward the lower pH region. The presence of magnetite nanoparticles not only helped in improving the "activity" of the motor through the heterogeneous catalytic decomposition of the peroxide fuel but also provided a remote magnetic control on the chemotaxis. The mesoporous iMushbots having negative ζ-potential could easily be loaded with the cationic anticancer drugs, which were magnetically guided toward the cancerous cells to cause apoptosis. The iMushbots exhibited higher degree of drug retaining capacity inside alkaline pH and showed facile drug release preferentially in the lower pH environments. The experiments show the potential of the iMushbots in retaining and transporting drugs in alkaline medium such as human blood and releasing them in acidic medium such as the cancerous tissues for cell apoptosis.