Impaired mitophagy and the accumulation of damaged mitochondria are key drivers of endothelial cell (EC) dysfunction in diabetic wounds. While mitochondrial transplantation (MT) has demonstrated therapeuticpotential in such mitochondrial damage-related diseases, its application is still thwarted by elusive mechanisms and practical hurdles such as poor targeting specificity and low delivery efficiency. Here, wereveal that MT acts by reactivating mitophagy to selectively eliminate dysfunctional mitochondria, therebyrestoring mitochondrial homeostasis and rescuing EC functionality. To exploit this discovery, we engineer abiomimetic MT strategy through coating EC-derived apoptotic vesicle membrane (AVM) onto the surfaceof isolated mitochondria. The resulting mitochondria–AVM complex (Mito-AVM) leverages homologoustargeting and phosphatidylserine-mediated “eat-me” signaling, achieving a remarkable 150% increasein delivery efficiency to ECs in diabetic wounds. Furthermore, we construct a 3-aminophenylboric acid-modified hyaluronic acid/polyvinyl alcohol hydrogel for the diabetic wound microenvironment, enablingreactive oxygen species/glucose-triggered sustained release of encapsulated Mito-AVM at the wound site. In summary, our work elucidates a fundamental mechanism of MT and provides an efficient and targetedstrategy for MT therapy, offering fresh perspectives for diabetic wound treatment.

The research findings have been published in Research under the title "Apoptotic Vesicle Membrane-Mediated Targeted Endothelial Mitochondrial Transplantation-Clearance Therapy for Diabetic Wound Healing."

A research paper by scientists from South China University of Technology designed a fabric-based ultrathin flexible microelectrode array with novel stimulation–inhibition electrode units that reduces current diffusion and improves focusing, improving tactile feedback accuracy and clarity.

The new research paper, published on Apr. 1 in the journal Cyborg and Bionic Systems, proposed a fabric-based microelectrode array (FMA) incorporating a stimulation–inhibition electrode unit structure, aiming to improve the precision of tactile perception, especially for applications in VR environments.

A research paper by scientists from Peking University introduced an octopus-inspired underwater gripper with rapidly tunable stiffness, integrated into an upward transport robot designed for efficient underwater object manipulation.

The new research paper, published on Mar. 31 in the journal Cyborg and Bionic Systems, unveil a soft robotic gripper that softens in 1.3 seconds and rigidifies in 0.8 seconds, enabling versatile grasping and silent vertical transport in cluttered underwater environments.

Effective science communication is a powerful but underrated tool. Metaphors, a common literary device, draw connections between unlike things and are often conceptually, innately understood. In science and science communication, these figures of speech act as a means of structuring concepts to provide the basis for further exploration. The use of metaphors in science can be a catalyst for change, invention, and, unfortunately, misunderstanding. Metaphors should be used responsibly when attempting to make complex scientific concepts easily understandable, and should weigh the accuracy and accessibility of information in a favorable balance.