Collaborative Research: The interaction of surfaces structured at the nanometer scale with the cells in the physiological environment

合作研究：纳米尺度结构的表面与生理环境中细胞的相互作用

• 批准号: 2224902
• 负责人: Aladin Boriek
• 金额: $ 29.76万
• 依托单位: Baylor College of Medicine
• 依托单位国家: 美国
• 项目类别: Standard Grant
• 财政年份: 2023
• 资助国家: 美国
• 起止时间: 2023-01-15 至 2025-12-31
• 项目状态: 未结题
• 来源: https://www.nsf.gov/awardsearch/showAward?AWD_ID=2224902&HistoricalAwards=false
• 关键词: Collaborative; Research; interaction; surfaces; structured

This is a collaborative project between the University of Texas at El Paso and Baylor College of Medicine. The objective of the collaborative research project is to understand how nanomaterials impact cellular activities in comparison to larger materials. In this regard, the PIs will investigate the influence of physical and chemical factors of nanomaterials in terms of adhesion and spread of cells and synthesis of proteins. The research team proposes that the nanomaterial surface has high surface energy, which is responsible for greater attachment and growth of cells and enhanced formation of different proteins. The understanding of physical and chemical interactions between nanomaterials and cells will promote nanotechnology in the field of medical implants. An educational development plan in nanoscience will be developed by the research team to promote training, education and learning opportunities for students at the University of Texas at El Paso and Baylor College of Medicine with a focus on underrepresented students. In addition, high school students and teachers working together with graduates and undergraduates will acquire knowledge of nanoscience and its application to medical implants from the viewpoint of improvements in the quality of life.The main objective of the research project is to acquire a mechanistic understanding of the favorable modulation of cellular activity on a nanograined (NG) surface in relation to coarse-grained (CG) counterpart. The PIs will test the central hypothesis that “the relative influence of physical and chemical attributes of nanoscale surface compared to the microscale counterpart favorably alters the mechanosensitivity of the cytoskeleton. To test this hypothesis, the PIs are planning three specific aims. In the first aim the PIs are planning to uncover the mechanisms that will explain how grain boundary energy and surface energy induced by the nanoscale surface modulate cell adhesion and biological functionality. In the second aim, the PIs plan to test the hypothesis that altered electronic properties of the nanoscale high grain boundary energy induced nano-grained surface is the causal mechanism responsible for mediating high cell adhesion. In the third aim, the PIs will test the hypothesis that mechanosensing of the cytoskeleton is a key mechanism that modulates the relationship between the adhesive (attractive) force of nanoscale nano-grained surface to the adhesion strength of attached cells. The research project will have the following outcomes: (i) uncover the mechanism that will explain how nanoscale structure induces changes in surface chemistry, surface energy and electron work functions, impacting cellular functionality; (ii) elucidate the mechanism that includes measurable changes in the grain boundary state/energy induced by the nanoscale structure in relation to the microcrystalline surface and how such mechanism would modulate cell adhesion and biological functionality; (iii) unravel the mechanism that links the relationship between high density of grain boundaries with high grain boundary energy to the electronic properties at the nanoscale surface; (iv) uncover the relationship between the adhesive (attractive) force of the nanoscale surface to the electronic properties of the surface and provide fundamental understanding of how such mechanisms would regulate the adhesion of cells. The broader impact of the research project lies in the potential to elucidate mechanisms underlying cell-substrate interactions which could potentially enable design of engineered surfaces with desired physical and chemical attributes leading to desired biological responses. Other key aspects of broader impact of this research include advancing the understanding of cell-nanoscale surface interactions. This could potentially facilitate the fabrication of nanoscale patterning of substrates and the development of innovative nanotechnology devices for applications in fields such as biological micro-electromechanical devices and microfluidics.This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.

这是德克萨斯大学埃尔帕索分校和贝勒医学院之间的一个合作项目。该合作研究项目的目标是了解纳米材料与较大材料相比如何影响细胞活动。在这方面，研究员将研究纳米材料的物理和化学因素对细胞粘附和扩散以及蛋白质合成的影响。 研究小组提出，纳米材料表面具有高表面能，这是负责更大的附着和细胞生长，并增强不同蛋白质的形成。了解纳米材料与细胞之间的物理和化学相互作用将促进纳米技术在医学植入物领域的应用。研究小组将制定纳米科学教育发展计划，以促进德克萨斯大学埃尔帕索分校和贝勒医学院学生的培训，教育和学习机会，重点是代表性不足的学生。此外，高中生和教师将与研究生和本科生一起，从提高生活质量的观点出发，学习纳米科学及其在医疗植入物中的应用。本研究项目的主要目的是从机理上理解纳米（NG）表面相对于粗粒（CG）表面对细胞活动的有利调节。PI将测试中心假设，即“与微米级对应物相比，纳米级表面的物理和化学属性的相对影响有利地改变了细胞骨架的机械敏感性。为了验证这一假设，PI正在计划三个具体目标。在第一个目标中，PI计划揭示将解释纳米级表面诱导的晶界能和表面能如何调节细胞粘附和生物功能的机制。 在第二个目标中，PI计划测试以下假设：纳米级高晶界能量诱导的纳米颗粒表面的电子特性改变是介导高细胞粘附的因果机制。在第三个目标中，PI将测试以下假设：细胞骨架的机械传感是调节纳米级纳米颗粒表面的粘附力（吸引力）与附着细胞的粘附强度之间关系的关键机制。 该研究项目将取得以下成果：（i）揭示纳米结构如何引起表面化学，表面能和电子功函数的变化，影响细胞功能的机制;（ii）阐明包括晶界状态可测量变化的机制;纳米结构相对于微晶表面诱导的能量，以及这种机制如何调节细胞粘附和生物功能;（iii）揭示具有高晶界能量的高密度晶界与纳米级表面的电子性质之间的关系的机制;（iv）揭示纳米级表面的粘附（吸引）力与表面的电子性质之间的关系，并提供对这种机制如何调节细胞粘附的基本理解。该研究项目的更广泛影响在于阐明细胞-基质相互作用的潜在机制，这可能使工程表面的设计具有所需的物理和化学属性，从而产生所需的生物反应。 这项研究更广泛影响的其他关键方面包括推进对细胞-纳米级表面相互作用的理解。这可能有助于制造纳米级图案化的基板和开发创新的纳米技术设备，用于生物微机电设备和微流体等领域。该奖项反映了NSF的法定使命，并通过使用基金会的知识价值和更广泛的影响审查标准进行评估，被认为值得支持。