Protein-based Biointerfaces to Control Stem Cell Differentiation
Implantation of foreign materials can elicit an immune response proportional to the cytotoxicity of the material. Surface modification is an important step to improve biocompatibility and biodegradability properties to the surface of foreign materials. In addition, important biological functions can be integrated in such bio-inert materials. Therefore, the immobilization of biological compounds, such as proteins and peptides, is a straightforward method to modify their surfaces. In this chapter we discuss how different protein immobilization methods can influence cellular adhesion, proliferation and differentiation. Furthermore, we describe the chemistry behind the protein immmobilization step; specifically, we describe