Surface modification with cell adhesion peptides alters extracellular matrix deposition

The goal of the current study was to evaluate matrix protein synthesis by cells cultured on materials modified with cell adhesion ligands. We examined the effects of surface peptide density and of peptides with different ligand affinities on extracellular matrix production by smooth muscle cells, endothelial cells, and fibroblasts. While initial adhesion was greatest on the higher density peptide surfaces, all cell types exhibited decreased matrix production on the more highly adhesive surfaces. Similarly, when different peptides were evaluated, matrix production was the lowest on the most adhesive surface and highest on the least adhesive surface. These results suggest that extracellular matrix synthesis is regulated, to some extent, by signal transduction initiated by adhesion events. This may pose limitations for use of bioactive materials as tissue engineering scaffolds, since matrix production is an important aspect of tissue formation. However, it may be possible to increase matrix production on highly adhesive surfaces using exogenous factors. TGF-/spl beta/ was shown to increase matrix production by both smooth muscle cells and endothelial cells.