Chinese Journal of Nature

Brief history, present and future of metallic glasses

WANG Weihua

2022, 44(3): 173-181. doi:10.3969/j.issn.0253-9608.2022.03.001

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Metallic glasses are novel metallic materials with long-range atomic disorder and short-range atomic order. Its formation involves in modern formation technology such as rapid quenching, high pressure, severe shear deformation, and ideas such as entropy modulation, and advanced manufacture and so on. The metallic glass, which is a newcomer in glass and metal families, is at the cutting edge of research and of current interest and significance in condensed matter physics, materials science and engineering. The unique structural features and outstanding mechanical, physical and chemical properties of the metallic glasses provide model system for studying some long-standing fundamental issues and have potential engineering and functional applications. In this article,the autho r comprehensively reviews the development history of the metallic glasses, and briefly introduces the recent progress in fundamental research and applications, and also predicts the future of the rapidly moving field.

Activation and regulation mechanism of Piezo channels as mechanosensors

GUO Yusong R

2022, 44(3): 182-194. doi:10.3969/j.issn.0253-9608.2022.03.002

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Piezo channels are mechanosensitive ion channels discovered in mammals. They are involved in important physiological processes including touch sensation and osmotic regulation, and are correlated to many diseases such as sensory disorders, cardiovascular diseases, and tumors. The process of converting mechanical signals into electrical signals by Piezo activation could be described by the membrane dome mechanism. In the absence of tension, Piezo channel with its surrounding membrane is highly curved into a dome shape, which is flattened and open in response to tension, as this conformation is more energetically favored. This process could be regulated by properties of Piezo protein itself, lipids, interacting proteins and other factors, to fulfil the complex physiological functions of Piezo. A better understanding of the activation and regulation mechanism of Piezo will shed lights on new treatments of related diseases from the perspective of mechanotransduction.

Emerging progress in the clinical therapies of retinal degenerative diseases

JIANG Chengyong, ZHENG Jiadong, YAN Biao, ZHANG Jiayi

2022, 44(3): 195-212. doi:10.3969/j.issn.0253-9608.2022.03.003

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Retinal degeneration is one of the leading causes of visual impairment. Patients gradually lose their visual function. In many cases, blindness is inevitable. The most prevalent retinal degeneration diseases include retinitis pigmentosa, age-related macular degeneration, diabetic retinopathy, Stargardt macular dystrophy. With the development of gene therapy, stem cell therapy and visual prosthetic material, a surge of clinical trials for retinal degeneration therapies have emerged. In this article, we summarized the characteristics of retinal degeneration, and discussed the latest applications of pharmacotherapy, gene replacement therapy, stem cell therapy, and visual prosthesis in the clinical treatment for retinal degeneration. We hope that this article provides inspiration for future prospects in restoring impaired visual function.

Progress in neural mechanisms of itch sensation

YU Su , XIE Songgang , CHEN Wenzhen , SUN Yangang

2022, 44(3): 213-224. doi:10.3969/j.issn.0253-9608.2022.03.004

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Itch is an unpleasant feeling that elicits a strong desire to scratch. After being initiated at the skin, the itch signal is subsequently transferred down the spinal cord to the brain, where the itch information is processed. Our understanding of the peripheral and spinal mechanisms of itch has advanced significantly in recent years, but our knowledge of how brain neural circuits modulate itch is still limited. Aided by in vivo imaging techniques, researchers can decipher the neural mechanisms of itch sensation at the brain level. With the rapid progress of modern neurotechnologies, a series of significant achievements in central neural mechanisms of itch have been reported. The authors reviewed the recent advances in itch sensation from periphery to the central nervous system (CNS), focusing on chemical itch.

The underlying mechanism of stereocilia height regulation in inner ear hair cells

LI Nana, XU Zhigang

2022, 44(3): 225-230. doi:10.3969/j.issn.0253-9608.2022.02.013

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Inner ear hair cells are the receptor cells for sound and balance sensation in animals, responsible for transducing mechanical signals into electrical signals, a process referred to as mechanoelectrical transduction (MET). Hair cell is named after the hair bundle on its apical surface, which consists of one tubulin-based kinocilium and dozens of actin-based stereocilia. Kinocilium plays an important role in the development of hair bundle, while stereocilia are indispensable for MET. In each hair cell, the stereocilia are organized into several rows of increasing heights, forming a staircase-like pattern. The development and maintenance of stereocilia is tightly regulated. In recent years, the rapid progress in proteomics, transcriptomics, and super-resolution microscopy has shed light on the underlying mechanism of stereocilia height regulation, but a lot more awaits further investigation. In the present review, we focus on what is known about the mechanism of stereocilia height regulation.

Research of DNA receptor AIM2 in cardiovascular diseases

LU Lin, WU Chengjie, TU Junchu, LI Yujie, ZHANG Yu, LI Yangxin

2022, 44(3): 231-240. doi:10.3969/j.issn.0253-9608.2022.03.005

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Absent in Melanoma 2(AIM2), a member of the PYHIN(Containing Pyrin and HIN domain proteins) families, plays an important role in sensing dsDNA and assembling AIM2 inflammatory bodies. AIM2 inflammasome, with pro-inflammatory and pro-pyrolytic properties, is closely related to the occurrence and development of cardiovascular diseases. It can be activated in atherosclerotic plaques, aortic aneurysm walls and damaged myocardium, and its activation is strictly regulated by a variety of factors. We summarize the latest knowledge of AIM2 biology and provide new insights into the mechanisms and roles of different factors in AIM2 inflammasome activation. In addition, we explore the interaction between AIM2 and the pathology of atherosclerosis, aortic aneurysm, myocardial infarction, and heart failure. A better understanding of the pathological role of AIM2 in cardiovascular disease will facilitate the development of new therapies.

Application of nanoparticles in tumor therapy based on cell membrane biomimetic strategy

REN Yajing, LI Hui, NI Pinyue, MIAO Chenlin, FENG Shini, CHEN Fuxue

2022, 44(3): 241-250. doi:10.3969/j.issn.0253-9608.2022.02.016

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With the development of nanotechnology, nanoparticles have been widely used in the medical field for the virtues of their physical, chemical and biological advantages. However, problems such as poor biological safety, short blood circulation time and weak targeting ability still limit the applications of nanoparticles in tumor treatment. As a natural biomaterial, cell membrane has unique biological properties. The cell membrane biomimetic strategy endows nanoparticles with different biological properties, which compensate for the deficiency of nanomaterials and expand the applications of nanoparticles for tumor therapy. This article mainly introduces the preparation methods of cell membrane biomimetic nanoparticles and the application and progress of membranebiomimetic strategies in tumor treatment.

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