Ligand Coupling and Decoupling Modulates Stem Cell Fate

In natural microenvironment, various proteins containing adhesive ligands in fibrous and non-fibrous structures dynamically couple and decouple to regulate stem cell fate. Herein, materials presenting movably couplable ligands are developed by grafting liganded gold nanoparticles (AuNPs) to a substrate followed by flexibly grafting liganded movable linear nanomaterials (MLNs) to the substrate via a long bendable linker, thereby creating a space between the MLNs and the AuNPs in the decoupled state. Magnetic control of the MLNs decreases this space via the bending of the linker to couple the MLNs to the AuNPs. Remote control of ligand coupling stimulates integrin recruitment to the coupled ligands, thereby non-toxically facilitating the focal adhesion, mechanosensing, and potential differentiation of stem cells, which is suppressed by ligand decoupling. Versatile tuning of size, aspect ratio, distributions, and ligands of the MLNs can help to decipher dynamic ligand-coupling-dependent stem cell fate to advance regenerative therapies.

Automated summary

Materials with movably couplable ligands are developed by grafting liganded gold nanoparticles (AuNPs) to a substrate and flexibly grafting liganded movable linear nanomaterials (MLNs) to the substrate via a bendable linker, creating a decoupled state. Magnetic control of the MLNs decreases the space between MLNs and AuNPs, coupling them together. Remote control of ligand coupling stimulates integrin recruitment, facilitating stem cell focal adhesion, mechanosensing, and potential differentiation, while ligand decoupling suppresses these processes. Versatile tuning of MLNs can help advance regenerative therapies by studying ligand-coupling-dependent stem cell fate.