Potential-Responsive Surfaces for Manipulation of Cell Adhesion, Release, and Differentiation

In living systems, interfacial molecular interactions control many biological processes. New stimuli-responsive strategies are desired to provide versatile model systems that can regulate cell behavior in vitro. Described here are potential-responsive surfaces that control cell adhesion and release as well as stem cell differentiation. Cell adhesion can be modulated dynamically by applying negative and positive potentials to surfaces functionalized with tailored monolayers. This process alters cell morphology and ultimately controls behavior and the fate of the cells. Cells can be detached from the electrode surface as intact clusters with different geometries using electrochemical potentials. Importantly, morphological changes during adhesion guide stem cell differentiation. The higher accessibility of the peptide under a positive applied potential causes phenotypic changes in the cells that are hallmarks of osteogenesis, whereas lower accessibility of the peptide promoted by negative potentials leads to adipogenesis.