Biomedical Engineering Reference
In-Depth Information
biomaterial. As such, biomaterials have been created with the incorporation of
specific biomolecules for several tissue engineering applications, among which
the addition of molecular ligands for engagement with cell-surface receptors has
received much attention [5]. Further, materials with intrinsic bioactive
characteristics, such as hydroxyapatite, have been explored extensively for
orthopaedic applications due to their unique bone forming abilities.
Fig. 1. Diagram of the integrin superfamily (Reprinted from [13], with permission from publisher).
In the present review, we will explore how the integrin-mediated interactions
of cells with proteins of the extracellular matrix (ECM), a fibrous network
connecting cells together in tissues, can serve as a model system for developing
biomimetic materials for tissue engineering applications. We will focus on two
main strategies used to modify biomaterials with ECM-derived biomolecules for
tissue regeneration: 1) the alteration of surface physicochemical properties to
modulate ECM protein adsorption and subsequent cell interactions and 2) the
immobilization ECM-derived biomolecules to the surface of biomaterials. As
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