BIOMIMETIC MATRICES FOR INTEGRIN-MEDIATED CELL ADHESION - Biologically-Responsive Hybrid Biomaterials - page 248

5. Biomimetic Materials for Tissue Engineering using ECM Peptides

Upon the discovery of ECM peptides, the development of biomimetic materials
shifted focus from the adsorption of whole ECM proteins to the immobilization
of peptides sequences. These fragments are functional signaling domains from
ECM proteins that are composed of a short stretch of amino acid sequences that
primarily interact with integrin receptors. The use of short peptide sequence for
surface modification is advantageous over the use of native or recombinant ECM
proteins because the short peptide sequence is generally more stable and resistant
to denaturizing insults during the modification process [94]. As such, nearly all
adsorbed peptides are available for interacting with the cell surface's receptors
[5]. Furthermore, peptide sequences can be used to target specific cellular
interactions, while eliminating possible undesired responses of an intact protein.
Moreover, short peptide sequences can be produced economically and
synthetically in a laboratory, allowing precise control over their chemical
composition and avoiding issues related to concerns on proteins from animal
sources.
To date, the most commonly used peptide for surface modification is Arg-
Gly-Asp (RGD), which represents the signaling domain derived from fibronectin
(FN) and vitronectin (VN). RGD peptides have been shown to enhance adhesion,
proliferation, differentiation, and mineralization when attached to the surface of
various biodegradable materials [95]. Additionally, other non RGD-containing
short peptide sequences derived from ECM protein such as Tyr-Ile-Gly-Ser-Arg

Table 2. Selective synthetic peptide sequences of ECM proteins used in tissue engineering
applications .

Sequences Orgin Function Application Reference

Fibronectin,
Vitronectin

Osteoblast
adhesion

RGD bone [98,99]

Endothelial
cell adhesion

REDV Fibronectin vascular [97]

Neurite
adhesion

YIGSR Laminin B1 nerve [96]

Heparin
binding
protein

Osteoblast
adhesion

KRSR bone [100]

Neural cell
adhesion
molecules

Astrocyte
adhesion

KHIFSDDSSE nerve [101]