Life Sciences Commons^™

Improving Peripheral Nerve Regeneration Through Rehabilitation And Biomaterial-Based Drug Delivery Strategies, Yunfan Kong

Theses & Dissertations

Peripheral nerve injury (PNI) is a common problem worldwide, with trauma being a common cause. PNI can lead to loss of sensory and motor functions, chronic neuropathic pain, and mental health issues, significantly impacting patients' family life, work, and social situation. Recent studies revealed that beyond the topical injury site at peripheral nerves, PNIs can also induce dysfunctions in the central nervous system (CNS) by causing maladaptive plasticity, which will result in exaggeration and exacerbation of the pathological condition caused by primary injuries. The common therapy strategies for PNI treatment are using sutures, nerve autografts or conduits in cases requiring …

Growth Plate Cartilage: Understanding The Contribution Of Adhesion To Column Formation And Matrix Structure, Sydney E. Greer

Theses & Dissertations

Throughout fetal and adolescent development, bone growth is regulated by fine-tuned and controlled maturation of chondrocytes through a cartilaginous template called the growth plate. Bone growth rate is controlled through cell enlargement and extracellular matrix deposition, while the polarized arrangement of proliferative chondrocytes into columns aligned with the long axis of the bone potentiate growth. Chondrocytes are surrounded by a complex three-dimensional arrangement of matrix molecules, all of which are secreted by chondrocytes and assembled/remodeled to support the biological functions of the cell. Adhesion receptors found on the cell membrane of chondrocytes are crucial to the organization of matrix proteins …

Development Of Polymeric Cxcr4 Targeting Carriers For Sirna Delivery To Treat Acute Kidney Injury, Weimin Tang

Theses & Dissertations

Acute kidney injury (AKI) is a major kidney disease that is characterized by a sudden loss of renal function which manifests by a decrease in urine output and an increase in serum creatinine. AKI is a global healthcare burden associated with high morbidity, mortality, and increasing cost. Currently there are no effective pharmacological treatments available. Apoptosis induced by p53 has been demonstrated as an important pathological mechanism for the development of AKI. Meanwhile, CXCR4/SDF-1 axis has been associated with the inflammation during AKI, and CXCR4 is overexpressed on injured tubules. This dissertation hypothesized that polycations with CXCR4 targeting ability could …

The Rotator Cuff Tendon-To-Bone Interface: Maturation, Aging, And 3d Bioprinting For Regeneration, Xiping Jiang

Theses & Dissertations

Rotator cuff tendon injuries often occur at the tendon-to-bone interface (i.e., enthesis) area with a high prevalence for the elderly population. In addition, regeneration of the gradient structure of the enthesis is still a significant clinical challenge. Our studies aim to identify the histological, molecular, and biomechanical alterations of the rotator cuff enthesis with maturation and aging, and develop a novel therapeutic method using three-dimensional (3D) bioprinting technique to regenerate a functional enthesis. Striking variations of the entheses were observed both histologically and biomechanically during the maturation process. The histological features did not show many differences at the insertion site …

Towards An In Vitro Model Of Testing Osteoblast Cellular Function In Contact With Various Surfaces, Raheleh Miralami

Theses & Dissertations

Past studies have shown that the success of total joint replacements depends on the biocompatibility of orthopaedic materials, which can be improved by modifying the implant surface. However, the exact roles of these modifications and their effective mechanisms are poorly understood. The objective of this study was to develop and evaluate a model system to investigate the impact of nano-structured surfaces, produced by the ion beam-assisted deposition (IBAD) technique, on biomarkers of osteointegration using an in vitro model. The IBAD technique was employed to deposit zirconium oxide (ZrO₂), Titanium oxide (TiO₂), and Titanium (Ti) nano-films on …

Determinants Of Multi-Scale Patterning In Growth Plate Cartilage, Alek Erickson

Theses & Dissertations

ABSTRACT

Functional architectures of complex adaptive systems emerge by dynamic control over properties of individual components. During skeletal development, growth plate cartilage matches bone geometries to body plan requisites by spatiotemporally regulating chondrocyte actions. Bone growth potential is managed by the proximodistal patterning of chondrocyte populations into differentiation zones, while growth vectors are specified by the unique columnar arrangement of clonal groups. Chondrocyte organization at both tissue and cell levels is influenced by a cartilage-wide communication network that relies on zone-specific release and interpretation of paracrine signals. Despite genetic characterization of signaling interactions necessary for cartilage maturation, the regulatory mechanisms …