Bioactive supramolecular peptide nanofibers for regenerative medicine

Recent advances in understanding of cell-matrix interactions and the role of the extracellular matrix (ECM) in regulation of cellular behavior have created new perspectives for regenerative medicine. Supramolecular peptide nanofiber systems have been used as synthetic scaffolds in regenerative medicine applications due to their tailorable properties and ability to mimic ECM proteins. Through designed bioactive epitopes, peptide nanofiber systems provide biomolecular recognition sites that can trigger specific interactions with cell surface receptors. The present Review covers structural and biochemical properties of the self-assembled peptide nanofibers for tissue regeneration, and highlights studies that investigate the ability of ECM mimetic peptides to alter cellular behavior including cell adhesion, proliferation, and/or differentiation.