NPL scientists have created a functional model of the native extracellular matrix which provides structural support to cells to aid growth and proliferation and could lead to advances in regenerative medicine.
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| Atomic Force Microscopy (AFM) image of the designed extracellular matrix [Credit: National Physical Laboratory] |
Human-made structures designed to mimic and replace the native matrix in damaged or diseased tissues are highly sought after to advance our understanding of tissue organisation and to make regenerative medicine a reality.
Self-assembling peptide fibres that have similar properties to those of the native matrices are of particular interest. However, these near-crystalline nanostructures fail to arrange themselves into interconnected meshes at the microscopic scale, which is critical for bringing cells together and supporting tissue development.
To solve this problem, a research team at NPL designed a small protein consisting of two complementary domains (structural units) that promote the formation of highly branched networks of fibres that span microscopic dimensions. The team showed that the created matrix is very efficient in supporting cell attachment, growth and proliferation.
This research is part of the NPL-led international research project, 'Multiscale measurements in biophysical systems', which is jointly funded by NPL and the Scottish Universities Physics Alliance.
Read the full article detailing this research published in Angewandte Chemie -- the premier and most authoritative publication for critical advances in chemical research.
Source: National Physical Laboratory [December 12, 2011]
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1 comments:
Excellent read, I just passed this onto a colleague who was doing a little research on that… And he actually bought me lunch because I found it for him smile So let me rephrase that…
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