When   Thursday, November 12, 2009   Time   4:00 PM - 5:00 PM  
Where   Technological Instit M345 2145 Sheridan Rd.   map it
Audience   - Faculty/Staff - Student - Public
Contact   Nicky Lockman   847-467-1213  
Group   McCormick - Biomedical Engineering Department
More Info   http://www.bme.northwestern.edu

Wan-Ju Li
Depts of Biomedical Engineering and Orthopedic Surgery, University of Wisconsin-Madison

Nanostructured Scaffold as Engineered Extracellular Matrix for Stem Cell-based Tissue Regeneration

Cells reside in a three-dimensional (3D) extracellular matrix (ECM) environment where they proliferate, migrate, and differentiate. Both chemical and physical properties of ECM affect cell behavior, ultimately determining cell fate. Recent studies have shown that a substrate with a nanometer-scale surface topography enhances cell activities. Among nanostructured materials, an electrospun nanofibrous structure composed of continuous, ultra-fine fibers and characterized by the properties of high porosity, variable pore-size distribution, high surface area-to-volume ratio, and most importantly, morphological similarity to natural fibrous ECM has shown promising potential for tissue engineering.

The structural features of nanofibers enhance adsorption of cell adhesion molecules, induce favorable cell-ECM interactions, promote in vivo-like 3D matrix cell attachment and signaling, maintain cell phenotype, and support stem cell differentiation. In addition, we have demonstrated that the nanofibrous scaffold is a biologically favorable ECM replacement with programmable properties and capable of functioning as a tissue template to regenerate musculoskeletal tissues for clinical applications.