Application of wound-healing/dressing biomaterials is amongst the most promising approaches for wound repair through protection from pathogen invasion/contamination, maintaining moisture, absorbing exudates, modulating inflammation, and facilitating the healing process. A wide range of materials are used to fabricate wound-healing/dressing biomaterials. Active wound-healing/dressings are next-generation alternatives for passive biomaterials, which provide a physical barrier and induce different biological activities, such as antibacterial, antioxidant, and proliferative effects. Cellulose-based biomaterials are particularly promising due to their tunable physical, chemical, mechanical, and biological properties, accessibility, low cost, and biocompatibility. A thorough description and analysis of wound-healing/dressing structures fabricated from cellulose-based biomaterials is discussed in this review. We emphasize and highlight the fabrication methods, applied bioactive molecules, and discuss the obtained results from in vitro and in vivo models of cellulose-based wound-healing biomaterials. This review paper revealed that cellulose-based biomaterials have promising potential as the wound-dressing/healing materials and can be integrated with various bioactive agents. Overall, cellulose-based biomaterials are shown to be effective and sophisticated structures for delivery applications, safe and multi-customizable dressings, or grafts for wound-healing applications.

Cancer-associated fibroblasts (CAFs) have distinct roles within the tumor microenvironment, which can impact the mode and efficacy of tumor cell migration. CAFs are known to increase invasion of less-aggressive breast cancer cells through matrix remodeling and leader–follower dynamics. Here, we demonstrate that CAFs communicate with breast cancer cells through the formation of contact-dependent tunneling nanotubes (TNTs), which allow for the exchange of cargo between cell types. CAF mitochondria are an integral cargo component and are sufficient to increase the 3D migration of cancer cells. This cargo transfer results in an increase in mitochondrial ATP production in cancer cells, whereas it has a negligible impact on glycolytic ATP production. Manually increasing mitochondrial oxidative phosphorylation (OXPHOS) by providing extra substrates for OXPHOS fails to enhance cancer cell migration unless glycolysis is maintained at a constant level. Together, these data indicate that tumor–stromal cell crosstalk via TNTs and the associated metabolic symbiosis is a finely controlled mechanism by which tumor cells co-opt their microenvironment to promote cancer progression and may become a potential therapeutic target.

Over the past decade, electrical stimulation and conductive materials have been investigated for their effects on cell behaviors. Although numerous studies have been conducted in these fields, fewer studies have been dedicated to the combination of electrical stimulation and conductive materials. Additionally, precise and optimal protocols for electrical stimulation are yet to be determined. In the current study, the in vitro effects of electrical stimulation on MG-63 cell lines have been studied. The cells were cultured on pseudo conductive chitosan/functionalized multiwalled carbon nanotubes films for better guidance of electrical current to the cells. These composite films with different contents of f-MWCNT (0.0%, 0.05%, 0.1%, 0.2%, and 0.4% w/v) were fabricated and characterized. The stimulations were conducted by means of an electrical stimulation device which was designed and fabricated for the purpose of this investigation. Different electrical signaling regimes which were designed by MiniTab software were then applied to the cells in order to find the optimum regime for augmenting cell proliferation. The results of MTT assays after 3, 7 and 10 days of electrical stimulation were used to determine the optimum regime for cell proliferation. Additionally, alkaline phosphatase assay, alizarin red staining and scanning electron microscopy were conducted and the results were analyzed. Finally, 1 volt, 0.4% f-MWCNT content, 50 Hz frequency and 5% duty cycle were determined as optimum electrical stimulation parameters for MG-63 cell proliferation long term.