Osteogenic differentiation of human mesenchymal stem cells on α5 integrin binding peptide hydrogels is dependent on substrate elasticity.

ABSTRACT: The extracellular matrix plays a crucial role in controlling human mesenchymal stem cell (hMSC) biology including differentiation, and α5β1 integrin signaling plays an important role during osteogenic differentiation of hMSCs. Here, peptide-functionalized hydrogels were used to examine the role of α5β1 integrin signaling in inducing osteogenic differentiation in hMSCs. Further, the role of substrate elasticity was also studied. A thiolene chemistry was used to functionalize poly(ethylene glycol) hydrogels with a pendant peptide moieity, c(RRETAWA), as previous studies have shown that RRETAWA containing peptides bind to the α5β1 integrin with very high specificity. Notably, hMSC attachment to c(RRETAWA)-functionalized hydrogels was found to occur primarily through α5 integrins, as the numbe

SUBMITTER: Gandavarapu NR 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC3960008 | biostudies-literature | 2014 Mar

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature