Macrophage Chemotactic Response to Elastin-Derived VGVAPG and VGVPG Permutations: A Structure-Activity Relationship and Receptor Binding Assay

Decellularized Matrices As Cell-Instructive Scaffolds to Guide Tissue-Specific Regeneration

“…Although scaffold composition may influence stem/progenitor cell behavior via direct binding of the cells to bioactive ECM components, another potential mechanism could involve the action of ECM degradation products, termed matrikines . In native tissues, matrikines are generated through the proteolytic action of matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs) and ADAMs (a disintegrin and metalloproteinase) family members, and are known to recruit stem/progenitor cells, as well as modulate cell adhesion, migration, and differentiation. − Examples of these “cryptic peptides” include the Arg-Gly-Asp (RGD) peptide derived from fibronectin and collagen, which promotes cell adhesion, as well as the hydrophobic sequences VGVPG and VGVAPG derived from elastin, which stimulate smooth muscle cell proliferation, and fibroblast, monocyte, and macrophage chemotaxis respectively. Fragments of other ECM products such as hyaluronic acid generated during tissue injury and inflammation have been shown to stimulate angiogenesis and MMP production, as well as modulate macrophage phenotype .…”