Mimicking the extracellular matrix with functionalized, metal-assembled collagen peptide scaffolds

Biomaterials. 2014 Aug;35(26):7363-73. doi: 10.1016/j.biomaterials.2014.05.019. Epub 2014 Jun 2.

Abstract

Natural and synthetic three-dimensional (3-D) scaffolds that mimic the microenvironment of the extracellular matrix (ECM), with growth factor storage/release and the display of cell adhesion signals, offer numerous advantages for regenerative medicine and in vitro morphogenesis and oncogenesis modeling. Here we report the design of collagen mimetic peptides (CMPs) that assemble into a highly crosslinked 3-D matrix in response to metal ion stimuli, that may be functionalized with His-tagged cargoes, such as green fluorescent protein (GFP-His8) and human epidermal growth factor (hEGF-His6). The bound hEGF-His6 was found to gradually release from the matrix in vitro and induce cell proliferation in the EGF-dependent cell line MCF10A. The additional incorporation of a cell adhesion sequence (RGDS) at the N-terminus of the CMP creates an environment that facilitated the organization of matrix-encapsulated MCF10A cells into spheroid structures, thus mimicking the ECM environment.

Keywords: Biomimetic material; Cell encapsulation; Collagen; ECM (extracellular matrix); Growth factor; RGD peptide.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't
  • Research Support, U.S. Gov't, Non-P.H.S.

MeSH terms

  • Biomimetic Materials / chemistry*
  • Biomimetic Materials / metabolism
  • Cell Adhesion
  • Cell Line
  • Cell Proliferation
  • Collagen / chemistry*
  • Collagen / metabolism
  • Epidermal Growth Factor / administration & dosage
  • Epidermal Growth Factor / metabolism
  • Extracellular Matrix / chemistry*
  • Extracellular Matrix / metabolism
  • Humans
  • Models, Molecular
  • Peptides / chemistry*
  • Tissue Scaffolds / chemistry*

Substances

  • Peptides
  • Epidermal Growth Factor
  • Collagen