title: Microengineering as a tool to study substratum modulation and cell behaviour.
abstract: This research is an investigation of the means by which geometrical parameters (e.g. area and shape) and various surface attributes (materials and surface finish) of microengineered structures can modulate cellular response. This is based on biological observations indicating that: (i) the response of tissue cells to injury is determined by the net signal transduction response elicited by soluble regulatory molecules (e.g. cytokines), (ii) common matrix constituents (e.g. collagen) directly affect cell behaviour by the same signal transduction mechanisms mediating cytokine bioactivity, (iii) cellular response to cytokines is modulated by the precise nature of the extracellular matrix to which the target cells are adherent, including its biochemical composition and physical structure.
authors.affiliation: Microengineering & Biomaterials Group, Dundee University Tissue Engineering Centre, University of Dundee, Perth Road, Dundee DD1 4HN Scotland, UK. r.p.keatch@dundee.ac.uk
authors.forename: R P
authors.initials: RP
authors.lastname: Keatch
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Armoogum
authors.forename: S L
authors.initials: SL
authors.lastname: Schor
authors.forename: M S
authors.initials: MS
authors.lastname: Pridham
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Banks
authors.forename: T Y
authors.initials: TY
authors.lastname: Khor
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Matthew
mesh_terms: D001672:Biocompatible Materials; D002448:Cell Adhesion / Q000502:physiology*; D002455:Cell Division / Q000502:physiology*; D016207:Cytokines / Q000502:physiology*; D005109:Extracellular Matrix / Q000502:physiology*; D006801:Humans; D015398:Signal Transduction / Q000502:physiology*; D023822:Tissue Engineering; D014945:Wound Healing / Q000502:physiology*
chemical_list: D001672:Biocompatible Materials; D016207:Cytokines