Journal: Bioactive Materials

Article Title: Microenvironment-responsive injectable dynamic hydrogel for sequential antioxidant and tissue regeneration therapy of radiation-induced skin injury ☆

doi: 10.1016/j.bioactmat.2026.03.057

Figure Lengend Snippet: The antibacterial activity and biocompatibility of hydrogels. (A) Antibacterial image of hydrogels against MRSA . (B) Antibacterial image of hydrogels against E.coil . (C, D) Relative bacterial viability of MRSA and E.coil after 24 h of co-incubation with the hydrogels. (E)Representative crystal violet-stained images of MRSA and E. coli biofilms after different treatments. (F) Live/Dead staining of L929 cells after co-culture with different hydrogel groups. (G) Hemocompatibility test of different hydrogel groups. (H) CCK8 of L929 cells after co-culture with different hydrogel groups. (*P < 0.05, **P < 0.01, ***P < 0.001, mean ± SD, n = 3).

Article Snippet: The Live/Dead Cell Double Staining Kit was supplied by Jiangsu KeyGEN BioTECH Co., Ltd., and the Cell Counting Kit-8 (CCK-8) was obtained from Beijing Solarbio Science & Technology Co., Ltd.

Techniques: Activity Assay, Incubation, Staining, Co-Culture Assay

Journal: Bioactive Materials

Article Title: Smart microenvironment-adaptive nanocatalytic hydrogel for sequential antibacterial, anti-inflammatory, and regenerative therapy of biofilm-infected wounds

doi: 10.1016/j.bioactmat.2026.02.043

Figure Lengend Snippet: Characterization, and Cytocompatibility Validation of HCOC. (A) Schematic illustration of the development of HCOC. (B) FTIR spectrum of OSA, CMCS and OC hydrogel. (C) Time-dependent evolution of gelation of OC and HCOC. (D) SEM images of HCOC and EDS mapping images of C, N, O and Cu for HCOC. (E) FTIR spectra of HC, OC and HCOC. (F) Dynamic frequency sweep measurements of OC and HCOC. (G) Frequency-dependent viscoelastic behavior of OC and HCOC. (H) Alternating strain sweep with alternating strains of 1% and 1000% at 100s intervals and (I) Self-healing behavior of HCOC. (J) Live/dead staining showing the metabolic activity of L929 and RAW 264.7 cells after treatment with HCOC for 48 h. Rates of proliferation of (K) L929 cells and (L) RAW 264.7 cells after treatment with PBS or HCOC. (∗P < 0.05, ∗∗P < 0.01, ∗∗∗P < 0.001).

Article Snippet: Following the protocol of the DMAO/PI Bacterial Live/Dead Staining Kit (Beyotime Biotechnology), the bacteria were incubated with a working solution containing both DMAO and PI dyes in the dark at room temperature for 15-20 min. Fluorescence microscopy imaging was subsequently carried out.

Techniques: Biomarker Discovery, Staining, Activity Assay

Journal: Bioactive Materials

Article Title: Smart microenvironment-adaptive nanocatalytic hydrogel for sequential antibacterial, anti-inflammatory, and regenerative therapy of biofilm-infected wounds

doi: 10.1016/j.bioactmat.2026.02.043

Figure Lengend Snippet: pH Self-Adaptive Antioxidant Capacity of HCOC (Stage II: anti-inflammation). Cu ion release behavior of (A) HC (1 mg/mL) and (B) HCOC (1 mg/mL) at different pH levels. (C) ABTS + and (D) H 2 O 2 scavenging activity at different pH of Cu 5.4 O, HC and HCOC. (E) O 2 ∙ - , (F)∙OH scavenging activity of Cu 5.4 O, HAs, HC, HCOC. (G) SOD-like, (H) CAT-like and (I) GPx-like activities of HCOC. (J) Fluorescence images showing intracellular ROS detection by DCFH-DA staining, live/dead staining images and (K) cell viability of L929 cells with different treatments (All groups received 500 μM H 2 O 2 and different HCOC concentrations (I: PBS; II: 0; III: 0.25; IV: 0.50; V: 1.0 mg/mL HCOC). (L) Quantitative analysis of the cells under different treatments. (∗P < 0.05, ∗∗P < 0.01, ∗∗∗P < 0.001, ∗∗∗∗P < 0.0001) (M) Schematic illustration of pH-responsive activity and ROS scavenging and alleviating cellular oxidative stress of HCOC.

Article Snippet: Following the protocol of the DMAO/PI Bacterial Live/Dead Staining Kit (Beyotime Biotechnology), the bacteria were incubated with a working solution containing both DMAO and PI dyes in the dark at room temperature for 15-20 min. Fluorescence microscopy imaging was subsequently carried out.

Techniques: Activity Assay, Fluorescence, Staining

Journal: iScience

Article Title: MFAP5 + synovial fibroblasts drive LOX upregulation to promote osteoarthritis progression

doi: 10.1016/j.isci.2026.116286

Figure Lengend Snippet: LOX inhibitor improves MIA-induced joint damage (A) Representative images of H&E staining of rat joint tissues across four groups. Scale bars, 200 μm, n = 4. (B) Picrosirius red staining images of rat joint tissues across four groups. Scale bars, 100 μm. (C–F) Immunohistochemistry of LOX, IL-1β, MFAP5, and FBN1, rat joint tissues across four groups. IOD, integrated optical density. Scale bars, 400 μm, n = 4. Data were presented as mean ± SEM. Statistical significance was calculated using one-way ANOVA followed by Tukey’s multiple comparisons test (A and C–F). ∗ p < 0.05, ∗∗ p < 0.01, ∗∗∗ p < 0.001.

Article Snippet: Picrosirius red staining Kit , Servicebio , Cat# G1078.

Techniques: Staining, Immunohistochemistry

Journal: Bioactive Materials

Article Title: Sustained release PLGA microspheres loaded with a bone-affinity Bmp2 enhance fracture healing and mitigate heterotopic ossification

doi: 10.1016/j.bioactmat.2026.02.050

Figure Lengend Snippet: In vitro validation of D-Bmp2@M osteogenic efficacy and inhibition of ectopic ossification. a. Schematic diagram of the osteoblast-bone Transwell model. Bmp2/D-Bmp2@M microspheres or free Bmp2/D-Bmp2 were loaded in the upper chambers, MC3T3-E1 cells were cultured on two coverslips (one of which was precoated with HA) in the lower compartments, and the medium was refreshed every day for 7 or 14 days. Alkaline phosphatase (ALP) and Alizarin Red S (ARS) staining were performed at days 7 and 14, respectively. b. Osteogenic differentiation staining: ALP (early-stage, day 7) and ARS (late-stage, day 14) staining. Scale bar: 200 μm. c. ALP activity was quantitatively analyzed using an ALP kit (n = 3 per group). d. Relative quantitative analysis of ARS staining was performed at an OD of 562 nm (n = 3 per group). e. qPCR analysis of Bmp2 signaling-related mRNA in MC3T3-E1 cells (n = 3 per group). f. Schematic diagram of the muscle-bone Transwell model. Bovine bone slices were co-incubated with Bmp2/D-Bmp2@M or free Bmp2/D-Bmp2 in the upper chambers, and C2C12 cells were cultured in the lower chambers and the medium was refreshed every day for 7 days. D-Bmp2 and Bmp2 retention on bone slices and ALP staining of C2C12 cells were analyzed on day 7. g. Representative fluorescence imaging of bone slices incubated with AF647-conjugated anti-Flag antibodies (above) (yellow arrows: bone slice) and C2C12 ALP staining images (below), scale bar: 200 μm. h. AF647-conjugated anti-Flag antibody fluorescence intensity quantification in bone slices (n = 3 per group). i. Quantification of ALP activity in C2C12 cells (n = 3 per group). j. qPCR analysis of Bmp2 signaling-related mRNA in C2C12 cells (n = 3 per group). The data are presented as the means ± SDs. One-way ANOVA was used for multiple comparisons. Significance levels: ns (not significant), ∗ p < 0.05, ∗∗∗ p < 0.001, ∗∗∗∗ p < 0.0001.

Article Snippet: Calcium nodules were stained with Alizarin Red S staining kit (Beyotime, China) at room temperature for 15 min, and staining conditions were monitored.

Techniques: In Vitro, Biomarker Discovery, Inhibition, Cell Culture, Staining, Activity Assay, Incubation, Fluorescence, Imaging