Self-assembled extracellular matrix protein networks by microcontact printing.

Biomaterials

NNL, National Nanotechnology Laboratory of Istituto Nazionale di Fisica della Materia, c/o Dipartimento di Ingegneria dell'Innovazione, Università di Lecce, via Arnesano, Lecce I-73100, Italy.

Published: August 2004


Category Ranking

98%

Total Visits

921

Avg Visit Duration

2 minutes

Citations

20

Article Abstract

Physiological patterns of the extracellular matrix protein, laminin-1, were obtained on glass substrates by physisorption-assisted microcontact printing. Besides the well-retained antigenicity confirmed by indirect immunofluorescence assays, we investigated the supramolecular organization of the proteins by atomic force microscopy. We found the characteristic protein self-assembling in polygonal networks with well-defined sub-100 nm quaternary structures of laminin. The formation of these physiological mesh-like protein matrices was obtained by means of one-step soft lithography without any preliminary functionalization of glass, which can be exploited for many possible applications for cell cultures and biomolecular devices.

Download full-text PDF

Source
http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.biomaterials.2003.08.017DOI Listing

Publication Analysis

Top Keywords

extracellular matrix
8
matrix protein
8
microcontact printing
8
self-assembled extracellular
4
protein
4
protein networks
4
networks microcontact
4
printing physiological
4
physiological patterns
4
patterns extracellular
4

Similar Publications

Despite periods of permanent darkness and extensive ice coverage in polar environments, photosynthetic ice diatoms display a remarkable capability of living inside the ice matrix. How these organisms navigate such hostile conditions with limited light and extreme cold remains unknown. Using a custom subzero temperature microscope during an Arctic expedition, we present the finding of motility at record-low temperatures in a Eukaryotic cell.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

Histological preparation paraffin embedding is the gold standard method for evaluating tissue structure and composition, whether it is originated from biopsy or engineered . Quite often, deformation and shrinkage occur during the histological preparation, which are difficult to predict and qualify. The present study investigates the morphometric changes in bioprinted hydrogels composed of alginate and gelatine, common tissue engineering materials, focusing on three morphologies: full slabs, porous slabs, and porous cubes.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

Purpose: To define the genetic architecture of foveal morphology and explore its relevance to foveal hypoplasia (FH), a hallmark of developmental macular disorders.

Methods: We applied deep-learning algorithms to quantify foveal pit depth from central optical coherence tomography (OCT) B-scans in 61,269 UK Biobank participants. A genome-wide association study (GWAS) was conducted using REGENIE, adjusting for age, sex, height, and ancestry.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

Cell and Hydrogel-Integrated Therapies for Intervertebral Disc Regeneration.

Adv Healthc Mater

September 2025

Department of Materials Science and Engineering, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, 98195, USA.

Intervertebral disc degeneration (IDD) is a major cause of low back pain (LBP), significantly affecting on global disability and healthcare costs. Traditional treatments primarily focus on symptom management rather than addressing the underlying causes, such as the decline in nucleus pulposus (NP) cells and reduced extracellular matrix (ECM) synthesis. Cell therapy shows promise by replenishing NP cells, activating resident cells, and enhancing ECM deposition.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

Fibrotic scarring remains a critic obstacle to axonal regeneration after spinal cord injury (SCI). Current strategies primarily concentrating on eliminating extracellular matrix (ECM) components neglect their dispensable roles in maintaining tissue integrity. Here, it is reported that the mechanical strength of an integrated hydrogel composed of hyaluronic acid-graft-dopamine and HRR peptide directs fibroblast migration, determining ECM deposition.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF