CHAPTER 2: Smart Surfaces Chemistry and Coating Materials for Tissue Engineering

In this chapter, we provide an in-depth discussion of nanoscale surfaces based on RGD nanospacing and surface topography for tissue engineering scaffolds over the last decade. The complex interrelation between focal adhesion, traction forces, and nanoscale ligand patterns are discussed. In addition, current strategies used in scaffold-mediated delivery as reservoirs in therapeutics are described. These methods involve the use of anticancer drugs, DNA and proteins to achieve multi-modal release. A new research area to broaden our understanding of scaffold-mediated delivery is presented.