Cited by 4,551Cellular Mechanics and InteractionsHydrogels: synthesis, properties, applicationsTissue Engineering and Regenerative Medicine

Synthetic biomaterials as instructive extracellular microenvironments for morphogenesis in tissue engineering

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Lutolf, M P, Hubbell, J A·2005·Nature Biotechnology

Abstract

New generations of synthetic biomaterials are being developed at a rapid pace for use as three-dimensional extracellular microenvironments to mimic the regulatory characteristics of natural extracellular matrices (ECMs) and ECM-bound growth factors, both for therapeutic applications and basic biological studies. Recent advances include nanofibrillar networks formed by self-assembly of small building blocks, artificial ECM networks from protein polymers or peptide-conjugated synthetic polymers that present bioactive ligands and respond to cell-secreted signals to enable proteolytic remodeling. These materials have already found application in differentiating stem cells into neurons, repairing bone and inducing angiogenesis. Although modern synthetic biomaterials represent oversimplified mimics of natural ECMs lacking the essential natural temporal and spatial complexity, a growing symbiosis of materials engineering and cell biology may ultimately result in synthetic materials that contain the necessary signals to recapitulate developmental processes in tissue- and organ-specific differentiation and morphogenesis.

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Crossref · 10.1038/nbt1055

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113 of 113 references verified0 citation errors · 0 not checkable

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  • The major challenge in developing synthetic biomaterials for clinical applications is reproducing the complexity of form and dynamics of function of the wound microenvironment.

    “The major challenge in developing synthetic biomaterials for clinical applications is reproducing the complexity of form and dynamics of function of the wound microenvironment (144).”
  • Synthetic hydrogels can be functionalized with biologically active moieties that permit the growth and spread of cells; concentration and spacing of these cues can be changed independently.

    “Synthetic hydrogels can be functionalized with biologically active moieties that permit the growth and spread of cells146–151; concentration and spacing of these cues can be changed independently152–155.”

    From Towards organoid culture without Matrigel (2021) · cites this paper as [146]

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Authors
Lutolf, M. P., & Hubbell, J. A.
Affiliations
École Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne (CH)
Corresponding author
Hubbell, J A
Venue
Nature Biotechnology
Published
2005-01
Volume
23
Issue
1
Pages
47-55
ISSN
  • 0733-222X (ISSN-L)
  • 1087-0156
  • 1546-1696
OpenAlex
W2037810763
Cited by
4,551
References
113
Citations by year
2026: 101 · 2025: 126 · 2024: 136 · 2023: 119 · 2022: 124 · 2021: 182 · 2020: 219 · 2019: 231 · 2018: 262 · 2017: 299 · 2016: 302 · 2015: 288 · 2014: 334 · 2013: 290 · 2012: 309
FWCI
11.77
Type
journal article
Language
en
Open access
Locations
  • Nature Biotechnology (publishedVersion)
  • PubMed (publishedVersion)
  • Infoscience (Ecole Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne) (submittedVersion)
  • Infoscience (Ecole Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne) (submittedVersion, cc-by-nc-nd)
Topics
  • Life Sciences › Biochemistry, Genetics and Molecular Biology › Cell Biology › Cellular Mechanics and Interactions
  • Life Sciences › Biochemistry, Genetics and Molecular Biology › Molecular Medicine › Hydrogels: synthesis, properties, applications
  • Health Sciences › Medicine › Surgery › Tissue Engineering and Regenerative Medicine
Keywords
synthetic biomaterials, extracellular matrix mimics, morphogenesis, tissue engineering, nanofibrillar networks, self-assembly, stem cell differentiation, bone regeneration, angiogenesis, developmental processes
MeSH terms
Animals, Biocompatible Materials, Cell Adhesion, Cell Differentiation, Cells, Cultured, Extracellular Matrix, Humans, Ligands, Models, Biological, Neurons, Peptides, Polymers, Stem Cells, Time Factors, Protein Engineering, Integrins, Cell Lineage, Hydrogels, Tissue Engineering, Endothelial Cells

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