Synthetic biomaterials as cell-responsive artificial extracellular matrices

摘要: Cells in our tissues are exposed to complex arrays of biochemical and biophysical cues from their protein- sugar-rich extracellular matrix (ECM). In concert with cell- intrinsic regulatory cascades, these temporally spatially coordinated signals instruct cells acquire specific fates, controlling, for example, cell division, differentiation, migration or apoptosis. Conversely, constantly secreting that can trigger structural microenvironmental changes, as is most evident during proteolytic remodeling the ECM. The resulting reciprocal dynamic cell-matrix interaction crucial tissue development, maintenance regeneration and, if gone awry, it be involved disease progression such tumor metastasis. Recent efforts development synthetic biomaterials engineering aimed mimic cell-instructive cell-responsive function ECMs. This chapter focuses on molecular design, application smart artificial ECMs example actively participate cascades morphogenesis (see also other chapters this book).