Bio-inspired hard-to-soft interface for implant integration to bone

Molecular recognition based self-assembly is coupled with biochemical signaling to reprogram stem cells to osteogenic lineages at the implant interface. A bio-inspired interface utilizes a chimeric peptide composed of bi-directional domains: one domain self-assembles onto implant materials and another transiently activates the canonical Wnt signaling pathway to stimulate osteogenic differentiation. During a period critical to host stem cell growth and determination, bioactive interface signals serve to activate mouse or human stem cells to differentiate along osteogenic lineages. This engineered approach mimics nature's ability to design dynamic interfaces promoting bone regeneration.110