Search results for "Biomimetics"
showing 10 items of 54 documents
Biomimetic oxidation of pyrene and related aromatic hydrocarbons. Unexpected electron accepting abilities of pyrenequinones
2014
We present a mild catalytic method to oxidize PAHs and, in particular, pyrene. The pyrenediones are much better electron acceptors than benzoquinone in the gas phase and present similar accepting abilities in solution.
Dendritic cells, engineered to secrete a T-cell receptor mimic peptide, induce antigen-specific immunosuppression in vivo
2003
A T-cell receptor mimic peptide (TCRpep) consisting of an 8-amino-acid peptide, homologous to the transmembrane region of the T-cell receptor (TCR) alpha chain, blocks T-cell activation after systemic application. When dendritic cells (DCs) were transduced to secrete the TCRpep and injected into mice, evidence of immunosuppression was observed. In a CD8-driven allergy model, the injection of DCs transduced with the TCRpep reduced inflammation markedly and in a CD4+ T cell-dependent model of multiple sclerosis (experimental autoimmune encephalitis, EAE), injection of TCRpep-secreting DCs abrogated EAE symptoms and prolonged survival. These effects were antigen specific, because transduced DC…
Twisting and buckling: A new undulation mechanism for artificial swimmers
2012
Among the various locomotion strategies of the animal kingdom, the undulation locomotion is of particular interest for biomimetic applications. In this paper, we present an artificial swimmer set into motion by a new and non-trivial undulation mechanism, based on the twisting and buckling of its body. The swimmer consists of a long cylinder of ferrogel which is polarized transversely and in opposite directions at each extremity. When it is placed on a water film and submitted to a transverse oscillating magnetic field, the worm-like swimmer undulates and swims. Whereas symmetry breaking is due to the field gradient, the undulations of the worm result from a torsional buckling instability as…
Template-Assembled Synthetic G-Quartets (TASQ) hydrosolubles : du ligand de quadruplexes d'ADN et d'ARN à la plateforme catalytique
2013
Natural G-quartets, a cyclic and coplanar array of four guanine residues held together via Hoogsteen H-bond network, have recently received much attention due to their involvement in G-quadruplex-DNA, an alternative higher-order DNA structure strongly suspected to play important roles in key cellular events (chromosomal stability, regulation of gene expression). Besides this, synthetic G-quartets, which artificially mimic native G-quartets, have also been widely studied for their involvement in nanotechnological applications (i.e. nanowires, artificial ion channels, etc.). In contrast, intramolecular synthetic G-quartets, also named template-assembled synthetic G-quartet (TASQ), have been m…
Controlled Crystallization of CaCO3on Hyperbranched Polyglycerol Adsorbed to Self-Assembled Monolayers
2005
The formation of biominerals by living organisms is governed by the cooperation of soluble and insoluble macromolecules with peculiar interfacial properties. To date, most of the studies on mineralization processes involve model systems that only account for the existence of one organic matrix and thus disregard the interaction between the soluble and insoluble organic components that is crucial for a better understanding of the processes taking place at the inorganic-organic interface. We have set up a model system composed of a matrix surface, namely, a self-assembled monolayer (SAM), and a soluble component, hyperbranched polyglycerol. The model mineral calcium carbonate displays diverse…
2019
Despite substantial advances in many different fields of neurorobotics in general, and biomimetic robots in particular, a key challenge is the integration of concepts: to collate and combine research on disparate and conceptually disjunct research areas in the neurosciences and engineering sciences. We claim that the development of suitable robotic integration platforms is of particular relevance to make such integration of concepts work in practice. Here, we provide an example for a hexapod robotic integration platform for autonomous locomotion. In a sequence of six focus sections dealing with aspects of intelligent, embodied motor control in insects and multipedal robots-ranging from comp…
Biomimetic Alginate/Gelatin Cross-Linked Hydrogels Supplemented with Polyphosphate for Wound Healing Applications
2020
In the present study, the fabrication of a biomimetic wound dressing that mimics the extracellular matrix, consisting of a hydrogel matrix composed of non-oxidized and periodate-oxidized marine alginate, was prepared to which gelatin was bound via Schiff base formation. Into this alginate/oxidized-alginate-gelatin hydrogel, polyP was stably but reversibly integrated by ionic cross-linking with Zn2+ ions. Thereby, a soft hybrid material is obtained, consisting of a more rigid alginate scaffold and porous structures formed by the oxidized-alginate-gelatin hydrogel with ionically cross-linked polyP. Two forms of the Zn-polyP-containing matrices were obtained based on the property of polyP to f…
Biomineral Amorphous Lasers through Light-Scattering Surfaces Assembled by Electrospun Fiber Templates
2018
New materials aim at exploiting the great control of living organisms over molecular architectures and minerals. Optical biomimetics has been widely developed by microengineering, leading to photonic components with order resembling those found in plants and animals. These systems, however, are realized by complicated and adverse processes. Here we show how biomineralization might enable the one-step generation of components for amorphous photonics, in which light is made to travel through disordered scattering systems, and particularly of active devices such as random lasers, by using electrospun fiber templates. The amount of bio-enzymatically produced silica is related to light-scatterin…
Surface Functionalization of Metal–Organic Framework Crystals with Catechol Coatings for Enhanced Moisture Tolerance
2021
Robust catechol coatings for enhanced moisture tolerance were produced in one step by direct reaction of Hong Kong University of Science and Technology (HKUST) with synthetic catechols. We ascribe the rapid formation of homogeneous coatings around the metal–organic framework particles to the biomimetic catalytic activity of Cu(II) dimers in the external surface of the crystals. Use of fluorinated catechols results in hydrophobic, permeable coatings that protect HKUST from water degradation while retaining close to 100% of its original sorption capacity.
Applications of diatoms and silica nanotechnology in biosensing, drug and gene delivery, and formation of complex metal nanostructures
2011
Abstract Diatoms, single-cell eukaryotic microalgae, are present in nearly every water habitat and their silicon-dioxide (silica)-based cell walls of tens to hundreds of micrometers in size are the most interesting feature to be used in nanotechnology, including biosensing, drug delivery, molecular separation, molecular biology, biomimetics, frustule formation, and electronic, photonic, optical and structural materials. In this review, we present recent progress in applications of diatoms and silica nanomaterials in biosensing, drug and gene delivery, and formation of complex metal nanostructures.