Engineering the biophysical properties of basement membranes into biomaterials: Fabrication and effects on cell behavior Chapter uri icon

abstract

  • Endothelial and epithelial cells receive biochemical and biophysical cues from a specialized extracellular environment called the basement membrane. Mimicking the biophysical cues, including the elastic modulus and the structural topography of the basement membrane, is one approach used in tissue engineering to fabricate biomaterials for tissue regeneration. The biophysical properties of many basement membranes present within tissues have been characterized, and the findings highlight that the basement membrane is composed of a compliant protein matrix with nano-fibrous texture. Researchers use various fabrication methods to develop materials that probe how the biophysical scale of the basement membrane control cellular behavior. For example, studies have demonstrated that basement membrane relevant nanotopography can elicit different cell responses (as measured by morphology, proliferation, migration, etc.) compared to micron-scale topography. In addition, cell response to the physical environment is dependant on multiple factors such as the soluble environment and the cell type. These studies demonstrate that biophysical cues are essential components to be included in design of cell studies for tissue engineering. © 2017 Elsevier Ltd All rights reserved.

publication date

  • 2017-01-01