title: Designer self-assembling peptide nanofiber scaffolds for 3D tissue cell cultures.
abstract: Biomedical researchers have become increasingly aware of the limitations of time-honored conventional 2D tissue cell cultures where most tissue cell studies have been carried out. They are now searching for 3D cell culture systems, something between a petri dish and a mouse. It has become apparent that 3D cell culture offers a more realistic micro- and local-environment where the functional properties of cells can be observed and manipulated that is not possible in animals. A newly designer self-assembling peptide scaffolds may provide an ideally alternative system. The important implications of 3D tissue cell cultures for basic cell biology, tumor biology, high-content drug screening, and regenerative medicine and beyond could be profound.
authors.affiliation: Center for Biomedical Engineering NE47-379, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA 02139-4307, USA. Shuguang@mit.edu
authors.forename: Shuguang
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.forename: Fabrizio
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Gelain
authors.forename: Xiaojun
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Zhao
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001672:Biocompatible Materials; D018929:Cell Culture Techniques / Q000295:instrumentation* / Q000379:methods; D002478:Cells, Cultured / Q000737:chemistry; D003094:Collagen / Q000737:chemistry; D004338:Drug Combinations; D006801:Humans; D007477:Ions; D007797:Laminin / Q000737:chemistry; D051379:Mice; D008855:Microscopy, Electron, Scanning; D008958:Models, Molecular; D045333:Nanotubes, Peptide; D009369:Neoplasms / Q000473:pathology; D010455:Peptides / Q000737:chemistry*; D015202:Protein Engineering / Q000379:methods*; D017433:Protein Structure, Secondary; D011509:Proteoglycans / Q000737:chemistry; D046509:Tissue Culture Techniques
chemical_list: D001672:Biocompatible Materials; D004338:Drug Combinations; D007477:Ions; D007797:Laminin; D045333:Nanotubes, Peptide; D010455:Peptides; D011509:Proteoglycans; C059485:matrigel; D003094:Collagen