TY  - JOUR
A1  - Xu, Xun
A1  - Nie, Yan
A1  - Wang, Weiwei
A1  - Ma, Nan
A1  - Lendlein, Andreas
T1  - Periodic thermomechanical modulation of toll-like receptor expression and distribution in mesenchymal stromal cells
JF  - MRS communications / a publication of the Materials Research Society
N2  - Toll-like receptor (TLR) can trigger an immune response against virus including SARS-CoV-2. TLR expression/distribution is varying in mesenchymal stromal cells (MSCs) depending on their culture environments. Here, to explore the effect of periodic thermomechanical cues on TLRs, thermally controlled shape-memory polymer sheets with programmable actuation capacity were created. The proportion of MSCs expressing SARS-CoV-2-associated TLRs was increased upon stimulation. The TLR4/7 colocalization was promoted and retained in the endoplasmic reticula. The TLR redistribution was driven by myosin-mediated F-actin assembly. These results highlight the potential of boosting the immunity for combating COVID-19 via thermomechanical preconditioning of MSCs.
KW  - Actuation
KW  - Antiviral
KW  - Biomaterial
KW  - COVID-19
KW  - Shape memory
Y1  - 2021
U6  - https://doi.org/10.1557/s43579-021-00049-5
SN  - 2159-6859
SN  - 2159-6867
VL  - 11
IS  - 4
SP  - 425
EP  - 431
PB  - Springer
CY  - Berlin
ER  - 
TY  - JOUR
A1  - Farhan, Muhammad
A1  - Behl, Marc
A1  - Kratz, Karl
A1  - Lendlein, Andreas
T1  - Origami hand for soft robotics driven by thermally controlled polymeric fiber actuators
JF  - MRS communications / a publication of the Materials Research Society
N2  - Active fibers can serve as artificial muscles in robotics or components of smart textiles. Here, we present an origami hand robot, where single fibers control the reversible movement of the fingers. A recovery/contracting force of 0.2 N with a work capacity of 0.175 kJ kg(-1) was observed in crosslinked poly[ethylene-co-(vinyl acetate)] (cPEVA) fibers, which could enable the bending movement of the fingers by contraction upon heating. The reversible opening of the fingers was attributed to a combination of elastic recovery force of the origami structure and crystallization-induced elongation of the fibers upon cooling.
KW  - Robotics
KW  - Polymer
KW  - Fiber
KW  - Actuation
KW  - Shape-memory
Y1  - 2021
U6  - https://doi.org/10.1557/s43579-021-00058-4
SN  - 2159-6859
SN  - 2159-6867
VL  - 11
IS  - 4
SP  - 476
EP  - 482
PB  - Springer
CY  - Berlin
ER  -