title: Elastin-based biomaterials and mesenchymal stem cells.
abstract: Elastin is the dominant mammalian elastic protein found in soft tissue. Elastin-based biomaterials have the potential to repair elastic tissues by improving local elasticity and providing appropriate cellular interactions and signaling. Studies that combine these biomaterials with mesenchymal stem cells have demonstrated their capacity to also regenerate non-elastic tissue. Mesenchymal stem cell differentiation can be controlled by their immediate environment, and their sensitivity to elasticity makes them an ideal candidate for combining with elastin-based biomaterials. With the growing accessibility of the elastin precursor, tropoelastin, and elastin-derived materials, the amount of research interest in combining these two fields has increased and, subsequently, is leading to the realization of a potentially new strategy for regenerative medicine.
authors.affiliation: School of Molecular Bioscience, The University of Sydney, NSW 2006, Australia ; Charles Perkins Centre, The University of Sydney, NSW 2006, Australia.
authors.forename: Jazmin
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Ozsvar
authors.affiliation: School of Molecular Bioscience, The University of Sydney, NSW 2006, Australia ; Charles Perkins Centre, The University of Sydney, NSW 2006, Australia.
authors.forename: Suzanne M
authors.initials: SM
authors.lastname: Mithieux
authors.affiliation: School of Molecular Bioscience, The University of Sydney, NSW 2006, Australia ; Charles Perkins Centre, The University of Sydney, NSW 2006, Australia.
authors.forename: Richard
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.affiliation: School of Molecular Bioscience, The University of Sydney, NSW 2006, Australia ; Charles Perkins Centre, The University of Sydney, NSW 2006, Australia.
authors.forename: Anthony S
authors.initials: AS
authors.lastname: Weiss
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001672:Biocompatible Materials / Q000737:chemistry*; D002454:Cell Differentiation; D004547:Elastic Tissue / Q000737:chemistry / Q000166:cytology*; D004549:Elastin / Q000737:chemistry*; D006801:Humans; D059630:Mesenchymal Stem Cells / Q000737:chemistry / Q000166:cytology*
chemical_list: D001672:Biocompatible Materials; D004549:Elastin