While tremendous leaps in knowledge into cellular signaling and control have been achieved over the last few decades, there is still more to learn in how different signaling pathways act synergistically. A better understanding and control of cells in vitro and in vivo is important to enable more successful and safe applications of tissue engineering and stem cell therapy. This review is focused on two central ways cells sense their surroundings, namely, integrin-mediated mechanotransduction and growth factor signaling. Specifically, the authors explore how engineered interfaces have been applied to learn more about these processes, and how these important signaling pathways interact synergistically.

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The co-assembly of peptides and proteins in poly(styrene- block -ethylene oxide) (PS- b -PEO) thin films has proven to be a promising method to fabricate polymer–biomolecule functional materials. Contrary to the covalent immobilization of biomolecules on surfaces, co-assembly presents the opportunity to arrange cargo within thin films, which can be released upon exposure to an aqueous environment. The use of a mixed solvent system ensures the solubilization of hydrophobic polymer as well as the solubilization and protection of the biomolecule cargo. However, to produce largely defect-free films of PS- b -PEO from a solvent mixture containing water is challenging due to the narrow range of solvent miscibility and polymer/protein solubility. This work explores the limits of using a benzene/methanol/water solvent mixture for the production of thin PS- b -PEO films and provides a template for the fabrication optimization of block copolymer thin films in different complex solvent systems. The film quality is analyzed using optical microscopy and atomic force microscopy and correlated to the solvent composition. By adjusting the solvent composition to 80/18.8/1.2 vol % benzene/methanol/water, it was possible to reliably fabricate thin films with less than 1% macroscopic defect surface coverage. Using the optimized solvent composition, we also demonstrate the fabrication of ordered PS- b -PEO films containing lysozyme. Furthermore, we show the release of lysozyme into aqueous media, which highlights the potential use of such films for drug delivery applications.