title: Functionalized α-Helical Peptide Hydrogels for Neural Tissue Engineering.
abstract: Trauma to the central and peripheral nervous systems often lead to serious morbidity. Current surgical methods for repairing or replacing such damage have limitations. Tissue engineering offers a potential alternative. Here we show that functionalized α-helical-peptide hydrogels can be used to induce attachment, migration, proliferation and differentiation of murine embryonic neural stem cells (NSCs). Specifically, compared with undecorated gels, those functionalized with Arg-Gly-Asp-Ser (RGDS) peptides increase the proliferative activity of NSCs; promote their directional migration; induce differentiation, with increased expression of microtubule-associated protein-2, and a low expression of glial fibrillary acidic protein; and lead to the formation of larger neurospheres. Electrophysiological measurements from NSCs grown in RGDS-decorated gels indicate developmental progress toward mature neuron-like behavior. Our data indicate that these functional peptide hydrogels may go some way toward overcoming the limitations of current approaches to nerve-tissue repair.
authors.affiliation: School of Chemistry, University of Bristol , Bristol BS8 1TS, United Kingdom.
authors.forename: Nazia
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Mehrban
authors.affiliation: School of Dentistry, Cardiff University , Cardiff CF10 3XQ, United Kingdom.
authors.forename: Bangfu
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Zhu
authors.affiliation: Medical School, University of Exeter , Exeter EX4 4PS, United Kingdom.
authors.forename: Francesco
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Tamagnini
authors.affiliation: School of Dentistry, Cardiff University , Cardiff CF10 3XQ, United Kingdom.
authors.forename: Fraser I
authors.initials: FI
authors.lastname: Young
authors.affiliation: School of Chemistry, University of Bristol , Bristol BS8 1TS, United Kingdom.
authors.forename: Alexandra
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Wasmuth
authors.affiliation: School of Chemistry, University of Bristol , Bristol BS8 1TS, United Kingdom.
authors.forename: Kieran L
authors.initials: KL
authors.lastname: Hudson
authors.affiliation: School of Chemistry, University of Bristol , Bristol BS8 1TS, United Kingdom.
authors.forename: Andrew R
authors.initials: AR
authors.lastname: Thomson
authors.affiliation: University College London Ear Institute , London WC1X 8DA, United Kingdom.
authors.forename: Martin A
authors.initials: MA
authors.lastname: Birchall
authors.affiliation: Medical School, University of Exeter , Exeter EX4 4PS, United Kingdom.
authors.forename: Andrew D
authors.initials: AD
authors.lastname: Randall
authors.affiliation: School of Dentistry, Cardiff University , Cardiff CF10 3XQ, United Kingdom.
authors.forename: Bing
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Song
authors.affiliation: School of Chemistry, University of Bristol , Bristol BS8 1TS, United Kingdom ; School of Biochemistry, University of Bristol , Bristol BS8 1TD, United Kingdom ; BrisSynBio, University of Bristol , Bristol BS8 1TQ, United Kingdom.
authors.forename: Derek N
authors.initials: DN
authors.lastname: Woolfson
keywords: RGD peptide; hydrogel; nerve tissue engineering; peptide; self-assembly; stem cell