Tissue Engineering Part C: Methods

This bibliometric analysis, conducted on 735 publications from the Web of Science Core Collection database up to April 16, 2025, sheds light on the evolving landscape of nanomaterials in spinal cord injury (SCI) repair. Utilizing tools such as Bibliometrix, VOSviewer, and CiteSpace, the study reveals a significant and exponential growth in literature within this field since 2020, marked by an impressive average annual increase of 13.16%. China has emerged as the global leader in research output, contributing 347 articles, with the United States closely following. Prominent institutions such as Jinzhou Medical University and Zhejiang University have played pivotal roles in advancing this domain. The research has predominantly centered around critical areas including nanoparticles, drug delivery systems, strategies for neural regeneration, and the modulation of inflammation. A notable shift in research focus has been observed in recent years, with keyword trends evolving from foundational cellular investigations toward more applied aspects such as regenerative medicine, the construction of supportive scaffolds, and crucial steps toward clinical translation. This highlights the inherent multidisciplinary potential of nanomaterials in addressing the complex challenges of SCI repair. Despite China’s dominant publication volume, the analysis underscores a critical need to deepen fundamental research and foster stronger international collaborations. Looking ahead, future research endeavors should strategically prioritize the development of intelligent nanocarriers, cultivate robust interdisciplinary translational research initiatives, and establish standardized preclinical validation protocols. These targeted efforts are essential to accelerate the crucial transition of promising laboratory findings into effective clinical applications for patients suffering from SCIs.

This study describes the development of a three-dimensional (3D) oral mucosal model (OMM) to investigate how oral tissues respond to masticatory forces. The OMMs replicated key features of human oral mucosa, such as stratified keratinocyte telomerase-immortalized gingival keratinocytes (TIGK) layers and fibroblast-populated collagen matrices. Cyclical mechanical forces (0–10 N) for 2 h applied to the model caused force-dependent changes in the histological structure, including thinning of the epithelium and collagen matrix and cell displacement at higher forces. Lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) cytotoxicity assays revealed that 10 N forces led to significant cell damage (about 50% cell death) in TIGK monolayers, whereas lower forces (1–5 N) caused minimal damage. OMMs showed reduced cell death (∼15% at 10 N), indicating better resilience presumably due to their 3D architecture. Additionally, force-dependent increases in the release of the proinflammatory cytokines IL-6 and IL-8 were observed, with lower responses in OMMs compared with monolayer cultures. This study demonstrates that OMMs can be used to model the effects of masticatory forces on the response of the oral mucosa in denture wearers and has been utilized to investigate the effects of a denture adhesive on the inflammatory response of the OMM to pressure.