Be My Guests: For a range of applications, including medical diagnostics or drug delivery, it is necessary to encapsulate one or more components into a microcapsule. While there are many methods that can do this, most either produce a range of capsule size or are not easily scalable for making large quantities. J. Zhang et al. (p. 690 ) developed a microfluidic-based system for making capsules using host-guest chemistry. Cucurbit[8]uril, which readily forms complexes in water, was used as the host molecule and could accommodate two different guest molecules. Rapid complexation was observed of methyl viologen–modified gold nanoparticles and a naphthol-containing copolymer.

Heparan sulfate proteoglycans (HSPG) are composed of unbranched, negatively charged heparan sulfate (HS) polysaccharides attached to a variety of cell surface or extracellular matrix proteins. Widely expressed, they mediate many biological activities, including angiogenesis, blood coagulation, developmental processes, and cell homeostasis. HSPG are highly sulfated and broadly used by a range of pathogens, especially viruses, to attach to the cell surface. In this review, we summarize the current knowledge on HSPG–virus interactions and distinguish viruses with established HS binding, viruses that bind HS only after intra-host or cell culture adaptation, and finally, viruses whose dependence on HS for infection is debated. We also provide an overview of the antiviral compounds designed to interfere with HS binding. Many questions remain about the true importance of these receptors in vivo, knowledge that is critical for the design of future antiviral therapies.

Sulfonated cyclodextrins show nontoxic, broad-spectrum virucidal activity in vitro, ex vivo, and in vivo.