Cell-Instructive Biomaterials with Native-Like Biochemical Complexity.

Area of Science:

• Biomaterials Science
• Cell Biology
• Tissue Engineering

Background:

• Native tissue microenvironments contain biochemical signals, including matricellular proteins in the matrisome, that regulate cell behavior.
• These signals exist as extracellular matrix-bound or freely diffusing molecules, influencing processes from development to disease.
• Understanding these signals is crucial for developing advanced biological models and therapies.

Purpose of the Study:

• To review advances in characterizing, mimicking, and utilizing biochemical signals in engineered biomaterials.
• To provide an overview of the forms and effects of biochemical signals on intracellular signal transduction.
• To highlight applications of biochemically complex biomaterials in key biomedical fields.

Main Methods:

• Review of current literature on biochemical signal detection and characterization.
• Analysis of strategies for incorporating native biochemical signals into engineered biomaterials.
• Synthesis of information on the impact of these signals on cellular behavior and signaling pathways.

Main Results:

• Biochemical signals, particularly matricellular proteins, play critical roles in instructing cell behavior in vivo.
• Engineered biomaterials incorporating these signals exhibit enhanced functionality and native-like complexity.
• Spatial and quantitative methods are advancing the characterization of these complex signaling environments.

Conclusions:

• Biochemically complex engineered biomaterials hold significant promise for advancing tissue regeneration, immunoengineering, and organoid morphogenesis.
• Mimicking native biochemical cues in biomaterials is key to developing more effective disease models and therapeutic strategies.
• Further research into harnessing these signals will drive innovation in regenerative medicine and beyond.