Multiple facets for extracellular matrix mimicking in regenerative medicine

In this piece, featured in the Special Focus Issue on ‘Engineering the nanoenvironment for regenerative medicine,’ Yu Shrike Zhang and Younan Xia introduce our current understanding of the potential for biomimicry of the extracellular matrix in regenerative medicine. This article highlights the critical importance that nanotechnologies will play in basic cell science and in the future design of biomaterial systems. The extracellular matrix (ECM) refers to a complex, dynamic collection of physiologically active molecules secreted and organized by cells in a tissue [1]. In addition to its essential role in providing a structural support for the cells, the ECM also...