Interest in biologically active materials that can be used as cell culture substrates for medicinal applications has increased dramatically over the last decade. The design and development of biomaterials mimicking the natural environment of different cell types, the so-called extracellular matrix (ECM), is the focus of research in this field. The ECM exists as an ensemble of several adhesion proteins with different functionalities that can be presented to the embedded cells. These functionalities regulate numerous cellular processes. Therefore, different approaches and strategies using peptide- and protein-based biopolymers have been investigated to support the proliferation, differentiation, and self-renewal of stem cells, in the context of regenerative medicine. This minireview summarizes recent developments in this area, with a focus on peptide-based biomaterials used as stem cell culture substrates.

The development of tailorable and biocompatible three-dimensional (3D) substrates or molecular networks that reliably mimic the extracellular matrix (ECM) and influence cell behavior and growth in vitro is of increasing interest for cell-based applications in the field of tissue engineering and regenerative medicine. In this context, we present a novel coiled coil-based peptide that self-assembles into a 3D-α-helical fibril network and functions as a self-supporting hydrogel. By functionalizing distinct coiled-coil peptides with cellular binding motifs or carbohydrate ligands (mannose), and by utilizing the multivalency and modularity of coiled-coil assemblies, tailored artificial ECMs are obtained. Fibrillar network and ligand density, as well as ligand composition can readily be adjusted by changes in water content or peptide concentrations, respectively. Mesoscopic structure of these networks was assessed by rheology and small-angle neutron scattering experiments. Initial cell viability studies using NIH/3T3 cells showed comparable or even superior cell viability using the presented artificial ECMs, compared to commercially available 3D-cell culture scaffold Matrigel. The herein reported approach presents a reliable (low batch-to-batch variation) and modular pathway toward biocompatible and tailored artificial ECMs.

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