design of smart biomaterials

The general aim of the project is the development of innovative materials for bone and cartilage tissue engineering, focusing on the design of smart biomimetic materials, fully integrating principles from cell and molecular biology able to directly regulate cell differentiation and metabolism. Materials equipped with molecular cues mimicking the structure or function of natural extracellular microenvironments are able to interact with surrounding tissues by biomolecular recognition (Lutolf, MP 2005). Biomimetic materials should be capable of eliciting specific cellular responses and directing new tissue formation mediated by specific interactions, which can be manipulated by altering design parameters. Smart materials should provide the opportunity for chemically linking biological signalling molecules such as peptides or small proteins, or carbohydrates, eliciting cell responses to help the healing process. For tissue repair, biomaterials should have several properties to support viable repair. Firstly, the material must act as a support structure for cells and possess enough mechanical strength to protect the cells contained within it. Secondly, some level of bioactivity should be provided to accommodate cellular attachment and migration. Furthermore, the materials should be biodegradable and remodel as the new tissue forms and replaces the original construct. In this regard, the matrix should be non-toxic, non-attractive and non-stimulatory of inflammatory cells, and also non-immunogenic, which would be detrimental to tissue regeneration. Finally, the scaffolds should provide easy handling under clinical conditions, enabling fixation of the materials into the implant site [Stoop R. 2008]. In the present work, we are studying and applying functionalization strategies of different materials with signaling biomolecules. New smart materials were designed and synthetized to obtain innovative scaffolds useful in forming tissues with oriented mechanical and cellular properties. At the same time, functionalized materials with various biochemical signals will influence MSCs behaviour in vitro enhancing the differentiation in chondrogenic and osteogenic line cells and the matrix production and remodeling.