Designer Self-Assembling Peptide Nanofiber Scaffolds

Abstract

Biomedical researchers have become increasingly aware of the limitations of the conventional two-dimensional (2-D) tissue cell cultures where most tissue cell studies have been carried out. They are now searching and testing three-dimensional (3-D) cell culture systems, something between a Petri dish and an animal, such as a mouse. The important implications of 3-D tissue cell cultures for basic cell biology, high-content drug screening, and regenerative medicine and beyond are far-reaching. How can nanobiotechnology truly advance traditional cell biology and emerging regenerative medicine? Why nanometer scale is important in biomedical research and medical science? Of course, a nanometer is 1,000 times smaller than a micrometer, but why it matters in biology? This chapter addresses these questions. It has become more and more apparent that 3-D cell culture offers a more realistic local environment through the nanofiber scaffolds where the functional properties of cells can be observed and manipulated. A new class of designer self-assembling peptide nanofiber scaffolds now provides an ideally alternative system not only for 3-D tissue culture but also for regenerative medicine and beyond.