Engineered nanotopographic structures for applications in tissue engineering and regenerative medicine

Nanotopographic structures occur naturally within the extracellular matrix of many tissues, influencing a wide range of properties through mechanotransductive interactions. Synthetic cell-nanotopography interactions have been explored as a way of controlling cell behaviors including orientation, adhesion, migration, proliferation and cytoskeletal organization. Until recently these processes have been explored using traditional cell culture substrates for laboratory investigations, including titanium, glass, ceramics, silicon, polystyrene and PolyDiMethylSiloxane (PDMS), as well as on numerous disordered nanostructured materials such as collagen. Nanopatterned PDMS exhibits unique utility for in vitro studies including fundamental studies on cell-nanotopography interactions as well as structures that can serve as template for tissue organization. Emerging research is exploring nanoscale mechanotransduction on biodegradable substrates suitable for implantation, thereby paving the way for the development of engineered tissues with tunable mechanical and functional properties. Here recent developments in nanoscale modification of substrates for tissue engineering and regenerative medicine are described, with an emphasis on how these studies might ultimately lead to advanced approaches for patient care.