POLY 338 |
| Peptide-containing molecules are attractive to build self-assembling systems with mesogenic behavior. This potential is based on the possibility of designing large numbers of molecular structures with electrolytic or amphiphilic character that can also form high densities of hydrogen bonds. Our laboratory works on peptide amphiphile (PA) nanostructures that are formed by molecules containing a peptide sequence covalently grafted to a hydrophobic alkyl tail. These systems have revealed the capacity to organize into nanofibers with a remarkable aspect ratio. Under appropriate conditions these systems can orient into arrays that seem to undergo Onsager transitions. In this lecture we describe these systems and demonstrate their potential as interesting environments to orient stem cells. Long range cell orientation might be an important factor in controlling differentiation.
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Polymers and Liquid Crystals
8:30 AM-12:00 PM, Tuesday, August 21, 2007 Westin Boston Waterfront -- Otis, Oral
Division of Polymer Chemistry |