Oxidative stress and redox signaling represent fundamental biological processes as they affect cellular homeostasis. In addition to their recognized cytotoxic effects, reactive oxygen species (ROS) were recognized to serve crucial roles in signaling transduction pathways, which in turn are tightly regulated in vivo in both physiological as well as disease states, with reactive nitrogen species (RNS) playing complementary roles. At physiological levels, ROS are integral to redox signaling, while persistent or uncontrolled redox, predominantly driven by excessive ROS, promotes disease pathology. Despite extensive research, a major knowledge gap remains in clearly distinguishing beneficial redox signaling and maladaptive oxidative distress. Additionally, there is a need to elucidate how these processes diverge across different pathological conditions and disease stages. In this review, the dysregulation of these highly regulated processes and their implications for a range of disease processes are examined with a focus on context-dependent and stage-specific effects. In addition, current and emerging diagnostic biomarkers of oxidative stress, along with redox-targeted therapeutic strategies, are discussed, highlighting potential benefits and limitations. Finally, this review clarifies current conceptual challenges in redox biology and identifies opportunities for more precise therapeutic targeting of oxidative stress-related diseases.

Cilia are evolutionarily conserved, microtubule-based organelles that function as sensory and motility hubs, orchestrating a variety of physiological processes within the mammalian nervous system. In the context of neural development and homeostasis, cilia act as “cellular antennae,” integrating extracellular signals to regulate neuronal migration, axonal guidance, and synaptic plasticity. Despite their ubiquity, the exact mechanisms by which specific ciliary signaling pathways coordinate complex neurodevelopmental events remain incompletely understood. Furthermore, little is known about how spatiotemporal disruptions in ciliary assembly or signaling contribute to diverse clinical phenotypes observed in neurological disorders. This review systematically describes important cilia-dependent signaling cascades, such as Hedgehog and Wnt, and evaluates their multifaceted roles in maintaining normal neural architecture and function. We further synthesize recent breakthroughs linking ciliary dysfunction to a broad spectrum of ciliopathies, emphasizing the molecular basis of associated cognitive and motor impairments. By identifying limitations in our current understanding and proposing strategic directions for future studies, this review provides a comprehensive framework to help both basic researchers and clinicians decipher ciliary biology and move toward clinical translation. This review also highlights the therapeutic potential of targeting ciliary pathways in severe neurological conditions.

Chlorogenic acid (CGA) aids diabetic wound healing via antioxidant, antibacterial, and pro-migration effects, but poor stability and low membrane permeability limit its use in chronic diabetes. Therefore, we employed a one-pot method to mix naphthalene-modified diphenylalanine (FF) and hyaluronic acid (HA) to prepare an injectable composite hydrogel capable of delivering CGA to inflamed wounds and enabling sustained-release drug delivery, thereby promoting the healing of diabetic wounds. We evaluated it through the rheological and morphological properties, as well as the in vitro biocompatibility of the hydrogel. Structurally, the hydrogel exhibits a uniform nanofiber network, conferring enhanced mechanical strength and stable drug-loading capacity. In a mouse wound model, it reduced wound area to 7.99% ± 0.73% after 12 days of treatment, with increased granulation tissue, collagen deposition, and microvascular density compared with the normal saline group. Collectively, these findings indicate that the peptide-based composite hydrogel promotes local angiogenesis and vascular maturation, thereby accelerating the healing process of chronic diabetic wounds. This system represents a promising strategy for the development of bioactive wound dressings. Nevertheless, the underlying molecular mechanisms remain to be fully elucidated, and further validation in large animal models is required prior to clinical translation.