ABSTRACT
Natural and engineered tissues are a collection of cells arranged within a s tructural s ca old o f i nsoluble e xtracellular m atrix (ECM) proteins a nd s oluble sig naling mole cules t hat provide biochemical a nd me chanical c ues d irecting f unction. is function is therefore dependent on the spatiotemporal resolution o f m atrix p roteins, c ells, a nd sig naling mole cules, a nd their interactions with one another. While the ECM is ubiquitous throughout development, its composition, ratio, geometrical a rrangement, a nd me chanical p roperties a re i mportant distinguishing features between tissue types.1,2 Ce lls interact with the ECM in their microenvironment to direct specialization and tissue-speci c behavior. is interaction occurs in a bidirectional, reciprocal manner wherein cells respond to t he cues present in their environment by initiating signaling programs of genetic and phenotypic transformation.3 is transformation i n t urn a llows t he c ell to e xert ph ysical a nd biochemical in uence on its microenvironment leading to cell/ matrix c ooperativity d uring de velopment, h omeostasis, a nd repair.
