Biomimetic Materials

Biomimetic materials portray biomimesis, which is derived from the ancient Greek bios, meaning "life," and mimesis, meaning "imitation." This field studies the constituents of biological tissues and aims to replicate their form and function. Biomimetic materials are used in regenerative medicine to limit the host response, to promote migration of host cells leading to regeneration, and to support cells as tissue engineering scaffolds. They imitate their biological counterparts in a number of aspects, with structural and mechanical properties being among the most important. They aim to reproduce the extracellular matrix (ECM), which is a complex network of proteins and polysaccharides that gives tissue its structure, supports cell signaling, and influences the presentation of biochemical cues that are vital for tissue morphogenesis. The ECM of each tissue type has a specific chemical composition to support interactions with cells. Materials targeting cell-surface receptors are particularly interesting as receptor-ligand interactions have a great impact on the cellular response to biomimetic materials and their eventual integration. The spatial arrangement and orientation of ligands has a major effect on receptor-ligand interactions and their downstream signaling, and this has led to the development of more complex methods of attaching bioactive molecules to impart specific nanoscale patterns. The development of biomimetic materials is a growing area of research, and understanding of the mechanisms involved in successfully imitating biological entities is evolving. This entry focuses on materials mimicking the structure and mechanical properties, transport, biochemical modifications, and topography of the ECM and their applications.