Design Parameters of Tissue-Engineering Scaffolds at the Atomic Scale

Stem-cell behavior is regulated by the material properties of the surrounding extracellular matrix, which has important implications for the design of tissue-engineering scaffolds. However, our understanding of the material properties of stem-cell scaffolds is limited to nanoscopic-to-macroscopic length scales. Herein, a solid-state NMR approach is presented that provides atomic-scale information on complex stem-cell substrates at near physiological conditions and at natural isotope abundance. Using self-assembled peptidic scaffolds designed for nervous-tissue regeneration, we show at atomic scale how scaffold-assembly degree, mechanics, and homogeneity correlate with favorable stem cell behavior. Integration of solid-state NMR data with molecular dynamics simulations reveals a highly ordered fibrillar structure as the most favorable stem-cell scaffold. This could improve the design of tissue-engineering scaffolds and other self-assembled biomaterials.