Volume 102, Issue 2 p. 197-205
Original Article

In vitro response to functionalized self-assembled peptide scaffolds for three-dimensional cell culture

Vengama N. Modepalli,

Center for Chemistry and Biotechnology, Deakin University, Waurn Ponds, VIC, 3217 Australia

School of Medicine, Deakin University, Waurn Ponds, VIC, 3217 Australia

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Alexandra L. Rodriguez,

Research School of Engineering, College of Engineering and Computer Science, The Australian National University, Acton, ACT, 0200 Australia

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Rui Li,

Center for Chemistry and Biotechnology, Deakin University, Waurn Ponds, VIC, 3217 Australia

Faculty of Science, Engineering and the Built Environment, Deakin University, Waurn Ponds, VIC, 3217 Australia

Coconut Research Institute of Chinese Academy of Tropical Agriculture Sciences, Wenchang, 571339 Hainan, People's Republic of China

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Sivapriya Pavuluri,

Center for Chemistry and Biotechnology, Deakin University, Waurn Ponds, VIC, 3217 Australia

School of Medicine, Deakin University, Waurn Ponds, VIC, 3217 Australia

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Kevin R. Nicholas,

Center for Chemistry and Biotechnology, Deakin University, Waurn Ponds, VIC, 3217 Australia

School of Medicine, Deakin University, Waurn Ponds, VIC, 3217 Australia

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Colin J. Barrow,

Center for Chemistry and Biotechnology, Deakin University, Waurn Ponds, VIC, 3217 Australia

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David R. Nisbet,

Research School of Engineering, College of Engineering and Computer Science, The Australian National University, Acton, ACT, 0200 Australia

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Richard J. Williams,

Corresponding Author

Center for Chemistry and Biotechnology, Deakin University, Waurn Ponds, VIC, 3217 Australia

Faculty of Science, Engineering and the Built Environment, Deakin University, Waurn Ponds, VIC, 3217 Australia

Correspondence to: Richard J. Williams; e-mail: r.williams@deakin.edu.auSearch for more papers by this author
First published: 01 February 2014
Citations: 28

This article was originally published online as an accepted preprint. The “Published Online” date corresponds to the preprint version. You can request a copy of the preprint by emailing the Biopolymers editorial office at biopolymers@wiley.com

ABSTRACT

Nanomaterials are rich in potential, particularly for the formation of scaffolds that mimic the landscape of the host environment of the cell. This niche arises from the spatial organization of a series of biochemical and biomechanical signals. Self-assembling peptides have emerged as an important tool in the development of functional (bio-)nanomaterials; these simple, easily synthesized subunits form structures which present the properties of these larger, more complex systems. Scaffolds based upon these nanofibrous matrices are promising materials for regenerative medicine as part of a new methodology in scaffold design where a “bottom-up” approach is used in order to simulate the native cellular milieu. Importantly, SAPs hold the potential to be bioactive through the presentation of biochemical and biomechanical signals in a context similar to the natural extracellular matrix, making them ideal targets for providing structural and chemical support in a cellular context. Here, we discuss a new methodology for the presentation of biologically relevant epitopes through their effective presentation on the surface of the nanofibers. Here, we demonstrate that these signals have a direct effect on the viability of cells within a three-dimensional matrix as compared with an unfunctionalized, yet mechanically and morphologically similar system. © 2014 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Biopolymers (Pept Sci) 102: 197–205, 2014.

The full text of this article hosted at iucr.org is unavailable due to technical difficulties.