Nonanimal Recombinant Proteins Developed for Cell Culture and Tissue Engineering Applications

A new range of recombinant proteins has been developed that can substitute extracellular matrix proteins that are currently extracted from mouse sarcoma.

The mussel adhesive protein-based matrix (MAPTrix) ECM line of products are coating reagents with genetically incorporated bioactive peptides that mimic the extracellular matrix (ECM) activity of collagen, fibronectin, laminin, and vitronectin proteins. These bioactive peptides mimic ECM proteins and provide for cell attachment, spreading, and growth. A MAPTrix surface coating offers an animal-free, chemically defined attachment and growth surface that provides a highly controlled environment for cell culture and tissue engineering applications.

Cell adhesion to the extracellular matrix is essential for the development and maintenance of cells. Cell adhesion to ECM ligands is principally mediated by integrins. The Arg-Gly-Asp (RGD) recognition motif is present in many ECM proteins including fibronectin, laminin, and osteopontin. Many biomimetic approaches have sought to convey biofunctionality to synthetic materials by presenting a cell adhesion motif such as the RGD recognition motif. The immobilization of short peptides such as RGD on synthetic or natural materials may produce biofunctional surfaces that bind adhesion receptors and promote cell adhesion; however, this traditional chemistry approach is time-consuming, inconvenient, and lacks reproducibility.

The MAPTrix ECM line of products, developed by Amsbio (Abingdon, UK), provide a better alternative to the conventional chemistry approach. In addition to RGD motifs--MAPTrix includes a wide variety of alternative motifs that mimic the extracellular matrix (ECM) activity of collagens, fibronectin, laminin, vitronectin and other matrix proteins. The use of MAPTrix ECM-based coatings is simple, convenient, and highly reproducible. The MAPTrix ECM line of flexible products can be used in a cell culture application alone or in combination with other products. All MAPTrix products are soluble in a variety of buffers including water under a wide range of pH (pH = 2.0 to 9.5). Available for basic research or drug discovery applications in serum-free or serum-reduced conditions--MAPTrix products are provided as ready-to-use aqueous coating formulations in 1.0 mg, 2.5 mg, 5.0 mg, and 10.0 mg sizes (vials).

AMS Biotechnology (AMSBIO) is an international provider of products and custom services for life sciences research. The company's range includes over 23,000 polyclonal and monoclonal antibodies, peptides, recombinant proteins, extracellular matrix, molecular detection reagents, tissue DNA, RNA, protein, and microarray products. Key research areas include apoptosis, cell invasion and migration, cell signaling, DNA damage, electrophoresis, glycobiology, posttranslational modification, and stem cell biology.

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