A gel polymer electrolyte (GPE) is a liquid electrolyte (LE) entrapped by a small amount of polymer network less than several wt%, which is characterized by properties between those of liquid and ...solid electrolytes in terms of the ionic conductivity and physical phase. Electrolyte leakage and flammability, demerits of liquid electrolytes, can be mitigated by using GPEs in electrochemical cells. However, the contact problems between GPEs and porous electrodes are challenging because it is difficult to incorporate GPEs into the pores and voids of electrodes. Herein, the focus is on GPEs that are gelated in situ within cells instead of covering comprehensive studies of GPEs. A mixture of LE and monomer or polymer in a liquid phase is introduced into a pre‐assembled cell without electrolyte, followed by thermal gelation based on physical gelation, monomer polymerization, or polymer cross‐linking. Therefore, GPEs are formed omnipresent in cells, covering the pores of electrode material particles, and even the pores of separators. As a result, different from ex situ formed GPEs, the in situ GPEs have no electrode/electrolyte contact problems. Functional GPEs are introduced as a more advanced form of GPEs, improving lithium‐ion transference number or capturing transition metals released from electrode materials.
Gel polymer electrolytes characterized by in situ gelation are presented. Different from ex situ gelated GPEs outside of electrochemical cells, in situ GPEs are formed omnipresent within cells covering the pores of the electrode material particles, and even the pores of the separators. The merits of in situ GPEs are demonstrated in electrochemical energy systems such as lithium‐ion batteries and lithium–sulfur batteries.
A cell, the fundamental unit of life, contains the requisite blueprint information necessary to survive and to build tissues, organs, and systems, eventually forming a fully functional living ...creature. A slight structural alteration can result in data misprinting, throwing the entire life process off balance. Advances in synthetic biology and cell engineering enable the predictable redesign of biological systems to perform novel functions. Individual functions and fundamental processes at the core of the biology of cells can be investigated by employing a synthetically constrained micro or nanoreactor. However, constructing a life‐like structure from nonliving building blocks remains a considerable challenge. Chemical compartments, cascade signaling, energy generation, growth, replication, and adaptation within micro or nanoreactors must be comparable with their biological counterparts. Although these reactors currently lack the power and behavioral sophistication of their biological equivalents, their interface with biological systems enables the development of hybrid solutions for real‐world applications, such as therapeutic agents, biosensors, innovative materials, and biochemical microreactors. This review discusses the latest advances in cell membrane‐engineered micro or nanoreactors, as well as the limitations associated with high‐throughput preparation methods and biological applications for the real‐time modulation of complex pathological states.
Design of multifunctional, life‐like vesicle nano‐ or microreactors that mimic and manipulate biological systems is achieved by combining top‐down and bottom‐up approaches. Using hybrid biomimetic systems made of natural and synthetic materials, higher‐order life‐like functions such as compartmentalization, cascade signaling, energy generation, growth, replication, and adaptability are demonstrated.
Catalytic enzymes are active matter Jee, Ah-Young; Cho, Yoon-Kyoung; Granick, Steve ...
Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences - PNAS,
11/2018, Letnik:
115, Številka:
46
Journal Article
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Odprti dostop
Using a microscopic theory to analyze experiments, we demonstrate that enzymes are active matter. Superresolution fluorescence measurements—performed across four orders of magnitude of substrate ...concentration, with emphasis on the biologically relevant regime around or below the Michaelis–Menten constant—show that catalysis boosts the motion of enzymes to be superdiffusive for a few microseconds, enhancing their effective diffusivity over longer timescales. Occurring at the catalytic turnover rate, these fast ballistic leaps maintain direction over a duration limited by rotational diffusion, driving enzymes to execute wormlike trajectories by piconewton forces performing work of a few kBT against viscosity. The boosts are more frequent at high substrate concentrations, biasing the trajectories toward substrate-poor regions, thus exhibiting antichemotaxis, demonstrated here experimentally over a wide range of aqueous concentrations. Alternative noncatalytic, passive mechanisms that predict chemotaxis, cross-diffusion, and phoresis, are critically analyzed. We examine the physical interpretation of our findings, speculate on the underlying mechanism, and discuss the avenues they open with biological and technological implications. These findings violate the classical paradigm that chemical reaction and motility are distinct processes, and suggest reaction–motion coupling as a general principle of catalysis.
Lysosomes have become an important target for anticancer therapeutics because lysosomal cell death bypasses the classical caspase-dependent apoptosis pathway, enabling the targeting of apoptosis- and ...drug-resistant cancers. However, only a few small molecules-mostly repurposed drugs-have been tested so far, and these typically exhibit low cancer selectivity, making them suitable only for combination therapies. Here, we show that mixed-charge nanoparticles covered with certain ratios of positively and negatively charged ligands can selectively target lysosomes in cancerous cells while exhibiting only marginal cytotoxicity towards normal cells. This selectivity results from distinct pH-dependent aggregation events, starting from the formation of small, endocytosis-prone clusters at cell surfaces and ending with the formation of large and well-ordered nanoparticle assemblies and crystals inside cancer lysosomes. These assemblies cannot be cleared by exocytosis and cause lysosome swelling, which gradually disrupts the integrity of lysosomal membranes, ultimately impairing lysosomal functions and triggering cell death.
The sustainability labeling on the front of a package featured in a print advertisement may influence consumers' product evaluations and purchase decisions. The findings of this exploratory study ...suggest that consumers seem to evaluate the sustainability claim more favorably if the advertisement highlights the personal impact on them. Moreover, environmental involvement appears to further moderate the effects of sustainability claims and environmental impact framing. The interactions that emerged in this study suggest that sustainability labeling effects constitute a complex phenomenon that warrants future research.
Extracellular vesicles (EVs) are cell-derived, nanoscale vesicles that carry nucleic acids and proteins from their cells of origin and show great potential as biomarkers for many diseases, including ...cancer. Efficient isolation and detection methods are prerequisites for exploiting their use in clinical settings and understanding their physiological functions. Here, we presented a rapid, label-free, and highly sensitive method for EV isolation and quantification using a lab-on-a-disc integrated with two nanofilters (Exodisc). Starting from raw biological samples, such as cell-culture supernatant (CCS) or cancer-patient urine, fully automated enrichment of EVs in the size range of 20–600 nm was achieved within 30 min using a tabletop-sized centrifugal microfluidic system. Quantitative tests using nanoparticle-tracking analysis confirmed that the Exodisc enabled >95% recovery of EVs from CCS. Additionally, analysis of mRNA retrieved from EVs revealed that the Exodisc provided >100-fold higher concentration of mRNA as compared with the gold-standard ultracentrifugation method. Furthermore, on-disc enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay using urinary EVs isolated from bladder cancer patients showed high levels of CD9 and CD81 expression, suggesting that this method may be potentially useful in clinical settings to test urinary EV-based biomarkers for cancer diagnostics.
Exosomes—nanosized extracellular vesicles (EVs) naturally secreted from cells—have emerged as promising biomarkers and potential therapeutic vehicles, but methods to manipulate them for engineering ...purposes remain elusive. Among the technical obstacles are the small size and surface complexity of exosomes and the complex processing steps required, which reduce the biocompatibility of currently available methods. The encapsulation of exosomes with a nanofilm of supramolecular complexes of ferric ions (Fe3+) and tannic acid is demonstrated here. The resulting natural polyphenol, ≈10 nm thick, protects exosomes from external aggressors such as UV‐C irradiation or heat and is controllably degraded on demand. Furthermore, gold nanoparticles can be covalently attached for single‐exosome level visualization. To fully exploit their therapeutic potential, chemotherapeutic drug‐loaded EVs are functionalized to achieve the targeted, selective killing of cancer cells preferentially over normal cells. This nanofilm not only preserves the native size and chemical makeup of the intrinsic exosomes, but also confers new capabilities for efficient tumor targeting and pH‐controlled release of drugs. Demonstrating a scalable method to produce biocompatible, durable, on‐demand degradable, and chemically controllable shields for exosome modification and functionalization, the methods introduced here are expected to bring the potential of exosome‐based nanomedicine applications closer to reality.
Exosomes are encapsulated with a nanofilm by rapid mixing of ferric ion and tannic acid at a microfluidic T‐junction in water‐in‐oil droplet reactors, which protect them against external stress, especially UV irradiation and elevated temperature. On‐demand chemical degradation and further surface functionalization capabilities open up new applications beyond their native functions.
The environmental conscientiousness food trend is only expected to increase as consumers demand more information on the environmental and social impacts of their food purchases. Drawing from ...consumers' lay theories and the match-up hypothesis, this study examines the influence of the interaction between healthiness and sustainability levels on consumer product evaluations. In particular, it argues that the fit between healthiness and sustainability (both high or both low) drives consumer buying preferences as well as product perceptions. However, a general skepticism in sustainability claims moderates this effect.
In comparison to traditional in vitro cell culture in Petri dishes or well plates, cell culture in microfluidic‐based devices enables better control over chemical and physical environments, higher ...levels of experimental automation, and a reduction in experimental materials. Over the past decade, the advantages associated with cell culturing in microfluidic‐based platforms have garnered significant interest and have led to a plethora of studies for high throughput cell assays, organs‐on‐a‐chip applications, temporal signaling studies, and cell sorting. A clear concern for performing cell culture in microfluidic‐based devices is deciding on a technique to deliver and pump media to cells that are encased in a microfluidic device. In this review, we summarize recent advances in pumping techniques for microfluidic cell culture and discuss their advantages and possible drawbacks. The ultimate goal of our review is to distill the large body of information available related to pumps for microfluidic cell culture in an effort to assist current and potential users of microfluidic‐based devices for advanced in vitro cellular studies.
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