ABSTRACT

Native tissue has hierarchically ordered dynamic nanostructured extracellular matrix (ECM) components that regulate cellular behavior such as polarity, adhesion, proliferation, migration, orientation, and differentiation (Kozel et al., 2006). ECM has been proposed to be an excellent cellular glue comprising a complex and dynamic network of brous proteins, majorly collagen and elastin in the viscous microenvironment of glycoaminoglycans, glycoproteins, proteoglycans, and several soluble growth factors. Fibrous collagen and elastin in the ECM provides tensile strength and extensibility to the tissues thereby enabling them to resist the plastic deformation and rupture, and endure mechanical loading. In addition to scaffolding, ECM also coordinates cellular function through physical and mechanical stimulus. This chapter explains the role of brous ECM components on the regulation of cellular fate in tissues to understand the rationale of nanober geometry on control of cell behavior and how the nanober-ECM analog helps to organize the cellular function and tissue progression for tissue engineering applications.