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"Instructing Cells With Programmable Peptide-DNA Extracellular Matrices"

Nicholas Stephanopoulos, Postdoctoral Fellow, Northwestern University

Abstract:
Materials for controlling biological behavior are important for regenerative medicine and tissue engineering, as well as basic biology. One great unmet need in this area is the development of molecular platforms that can span multiple length scales, from the nanometer to the micrometer and beyond, with precise control of the cell environment. In this talk, we describe a new category of peptide-DNA hybrid molecules that can bridge these three scales, and the application of these materials as artificial extracellular matrices for instructing cells. The use of DNA allows for the integration of three important properties of the extracellular matrix (ECM): (1) spatiotemporal control of multiple signals with nanoscale precision, (2) the construction of nanostructures that mimic the structure and function of the ECM, and (3) cell patterning with micron precision. We demonstrate the utility of this new peptide-DNA platform to control cell adhesion, enhance growth factor activity, and enhance neural stem cell differentiation into neurons.