Thank you for visiting nature.com. You are using a browser version with limited support for CSS. To obtain
the best experience, we recommend you use a more up to date browser (or turn off compatibility mode in
Internet Explorer). In the meantime, to ensure continued support, we are displaying the site without styles
and JavaScript.
Angiogenesis has been implicated in fibrotic diseases of the liver. Here, the authors developed microniches that mimic angiogenesis during different stages of liver fibrosis, and demonstrate the role of mechanotransduction in fibrogenesis.
The activation of cleavable organometallic dimers upon exposure to ultraviolet radiation allows air-stable n-type doping of organic materials with electron affinity lower than the expected thermodynamic reducing strength of the dimers.
An approach to form protein-based hydrogels in living cells that resemble physiological hydrogel-like size-dependent molecular sieves is presented. Synthetic RNA granules mimics are obtained by functionalizing these entities with RNA-binding motifs.
Integrins play an important role in the adhesion of cells to their matrix. Here, the authors investigate how fibroblasts respond to mechanical loads, at the onset of cell adhesion to fibronectin, in distinct phases that are modulated by integrins.
The physical properties of biomaterials affect cell behaviour. Here, the authors investigate how stiffness and degradation of hydrogels affect signalling pathways that modulate the maintenance of stemness of neural progenitor cells.
From a combined effort by theorists, materials scientists and spectroscopists, topology has moved from a purely mathematical idea to the realization of unique properties in several condensed matter systems.
Cysts were generated from organoids in vitro and the removal of adherent cues was shown to play a key role in polycystic kidney disease progression. These cysts resembled those of diseased tissue phenotypically and were capable of remodelling their microenvironment.
Energy-favoured grain rotation in nanocrystalline metals is shown to cause surface roughness at the atomic scale, providing fundamental insight for grain boundary engineering in materials design.
Fragments of DNA that are derived from dead tumour cells and shed into a patient's blood have been utilized as biomarkers for the diagnosis and prognosis of liver cancer.
Specialized imaging methods are now available to measure the quantum properties of materials with high sensitivity and resolution. These techniques are key to the design, synthesis and understanding of materials with exotic functionalities.
The exploration of the properties and applications of quantum materials relies on advances in synthesis techniques. The approaches pursued to realize thin films and other materials revealing emergent quantum behaviour are reviewed here.
This Perspective discusses recent progress in the field of topological states in condensed matter; initiated by the quantum Hall effect, it now includes systems like topological insulators, topological superconductors, and Weyl/Dirac semimetals.
The key to exploiting quantum materials for applications is the control of their properties. This Review discusses strategies to externally modify their properties on demand.
A structurally chiral two-dimensional array of nanomagnets is shown to thermally relax its magnetization by rotation in a preferential direction, behaving as a magnetic ratchet.
Organic resistive memories based on a spin-coated layer of a ruthenium complex with azo-aromatic ligands show high endurance, stability and fast switching speed, as well as good device reproducibility.
