N-terminal specific conjugation of extracellular matrix proteins to 2-pyridinecarboxaldehyde functionalized polyacrylamide hydrogels.

ABSTRACT: Polyacrylamide hydrogels have been used extensively to study cell responses to the mechanical and biochemical properties of extracellular matrix substrates. A key step in fabricating these substrates is the conjugation of cell adhesion proteins to the polyacrylamide surfaces, which typically involves nonspecifically anchoring these proteins via side-chain functional groups. This can result in a loss of presentation control and altered bioactivity. Here, we describe a new functionalization strategy in which we anchor full-length extracellular matrix proteins to polyacrylamide substrates using 2-pyridinecarboxaldehyde, which can be co-polymerized into polyacrylamide gels and used to immobilize proteins by their N-termini. This one-step reaction proceeds under mild aqueous conditions and does

SUBMITTER: Lee JP 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC4939314 | biostudies-literature | 2016 Sep

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature