Cell Instructive Microporous Scaffolds through Interface Engineering

The design of novel biomaterials for regenerative medicine
requires
incorporation of well-defined physical and chemical properties that
mimic the native extracellular matrix (ECM). Here, we report the synthesis
and characterization of porous foams prepared by high internal phase
emulsion (HIPE) templating using amphiphilic copolymers that act as
surfactants during the HIPE process. We combine different copolymers
exploiting oil–water interface confined phase separation to
engineer the surface topology of foam pores with nanoscopic domains
of cell inert and active chemistries mimicking native matrix. We further
demonstrate how proteins and hMSCs adhere in a domain specific manner.