Modulation of osteoblastic phenotype by substrate-dependent changes in fibronectin conformation

Adsorption of fibronectin onto untreated and tissue culture grade polystyrenes and collagen type I resulted in changes in the conformation of the adsorbed molecule. These changes in conformation altered the binding of specific integrins (/spl alpha//sub 3//spl beta//sub 1/) to fibronectin. This modulation in integrin binding controlled osteoblast-specific gene expression in human SaOs-2 osteoblast-like cells. The principle of controlling cell function by conformational changes in the extracellular matrix represents a powerful approach to engineer surfaces that elicit targeted cellular responses.