Self-assembled nanofiber coatings for controlling cell responses.

Nanofibers are thought to enhance cell adhesion, growth, and function. We demonstrate that the choice of building blocks in self-assembling nanofiber systems can be used to control cell behavior. The use of 2 D-coated, self-assembled nanofibers in controlling lens epithelial cells, fibroblasts, and mesenchymal stem cells was investigated, focusing on gene and protein expression related to the fibrotic response.

Bacterial display and screening of posttranslationally thioether-stabilized peptides.

A major hurdle in the application of therapeutic peptides is their rapid degradation by peptidases. Thioether bridges effectively protect therapeutic peptides against breakdown, thereby strongly increasing bioavailability, enabling oral and pulmonary delivery and potentially significantly optimizing the receptor interaction of selected variants. To efficiently select optimal variants, a library of DNA-coupled thioether-bridged peptides is highly desirable.