Harnessing cell dynamics to engineer materials
First Claim
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1. A method of inducing differentiation of a population of stem cells into an osteogenic lineage comprisingcontacting said stem cells with a 3-dimensional material, wherein the 3-dimensional material comprises alginate of a stiffness in the range of 22-45 kPa, and a density of adhesion molecules presented by the alginate of 150 nmol/L to 200 μ
- mol/L, wherein said stem cells are encapsulated in the 3-dimensional material,wherein said density and said stiffness induce the formation of sufficient bonds between said stem cells and said adhesion molecules, and wherein the number of such bonds formed between said stem cells and said adhesion molecules determines a cell type into which said stem cells differentiate; and
allowing said stem cells to bind to, and mechanically reorganize, said adhesion molecules, thereby inducing differentiation of said stem cells into an osteogenic lineage.
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Abstract
The invention features synthetic materials and methods for inducing cell behavior. Matrix materials induce cell differentiation and cell manipulation based on mechanical and physical characteristics of the materials rather than chemical characteristics.
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Citations
34 Claims
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1. A method of inducing differentiation of a population of stem cells into an osteogenic lineage comprising
contacting said stem cells with a 3-dimensional material, wherein the 3-dimensional material comprises alginate of a stiffness in the range of 22-45 kPa, and a density of adhesion molecules presented by the alginate of 150 nmol/L to 200 μ - mol/L, wherein said stem cells are encapsulated in the 3-dimensional material,
wherein said density and said stiffness induce the formation of sufficient bonds between said stem cells and said adhesion molecules, and wherein the number of such bonds formed between said stem cells and said adhesion molecules determines a cell type into which said stem cells differentiate; and allowing said stem cells to bind to, and mechanically reorganize, said adhesion molecules, thereby inducing differentiation of said stem cells into an osteogenic lineage. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34)
- mol/L, wherein said stem cells are encapsulated in the 3-dimensional material,
Specification