Professor Jin Nam and colleagues from the University of California, Riverside have developed novel synthesize piezoelectric scaffolds that can be remotely activated without a physically connected electrical wire to produce optimal electric fields in vivo for enhanced nerve regeneration. The technology works by using a biocompatible nanofibrous scaffold with a mesh-like structure that mimics the body’s natural tissue architecture and is made from piezoelectric materials. This technology allows for the mechano-electrical stimulation (MES) on endogenous or transplanted stem cells to enhance their neural differentiation/maturation. This technology is advantageous because this scaffold can be applied as a conduit or patch and activated remotely and non-invasively.  Fig 1: In vivo characterization of piezoelectric conduits and their impact on sciatic nerve regeneration. (a) A photo showing the transplantation of the P(VDF-TrFE) conduit into the rat to bridge the sciatic nerve gap. (b) Shockwave magnitude-dependent voltage outputs from P(VDF-TrFE) conduits. (c) A zoomed-in voltage output graph showing the  generation of 200 mVp-p under the 4-bar pressure of the shockwave actuation. (d, e) Large-field-of-view immunofluorescence images showing the entire structure of P(VDF-TrFE) conduit and ingrowth tissue, bridging transected sciatic nerve in (d) static and (e) MES conditions (NF200: axonal marker NF200; S1-S4 denote each of the 4 rats in the static group while MES1-MES4 denote each of the 4 rats from the MES group).

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Professor Linlin Zhao and their team from the University of California, Riverside have developed mTAP, a new chemical probe engineered to selectively bind to abasic sites within mitochondrial DNA without affecting nuclear DNA. Unlike non-specific agents, mTAP is equipped with a mitochondria-targeting group, ensuring its precise localization. This invention is advantageous over current technology because its mechanism of action involves forming a stable chemical bond with damaged DNA sites, thereby protecting mtDNA from enzymatic cleavage and maintaining its replication and transcriptional activities.    Fig 1: The UCR mitochondria-targeting water-soluble probe mTAP exclusively reacts with mitochondrial abasic sites, and retains mitochondrial DNA levels under genotoxic stress which are responsible for certain mitochondrial diseases. 

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