This work is financially supported by NIH (Grants 1R01AR072027-01, 1R03AR069383-01), NSF Career Award (1653702) and University of Connecticut.

1. Synthesis of JBNTs
NOTE: JBNT monomer was prepared as published previously11.
<ol>
	<li>Synthesis of compound A1
	<ol>
		<li>Prepare a solution containing 8.50 g of 2-cyanoacetic acid and 9.80 g of ethylcarbamate in 25 mL of toluene and 2.5 mL of N, N-dimethylformamide. Add 4.90 mL of phosphoryl chloride dropwise. Then heat the mixture to 70 &#176;C and keep stirring for 1.5 h.</li>
		<li>Cool the reaction mixture to room temperature and pour in 100 g of ice water. Extract the aqueous layer with ethyl acetate (3 x 250 mL), and wash with 100 mL of brine. Dry the organic layer over anhydrous sodium sulfate, filter and evaporate volatiles under vacuum to get a pale-yellow solid.</li>
		<li>Subject the yellow solid to silica gel flash column chromatography (3% methanol/dichloromethane) to yield 15.61 g of compound A1 as a white powder.</li>
	</ol>
	</li>
	<li>Synthesis of compound A2
	<ol>
		<li>Mix 3.12 g of compound A1 and 2.75 g of potassium carbonate in 50 mL of N, N-dimethylformamide. Stir at room temperature for 2 h.</li>
		<li>Add 2.6 mL of carbon disulfide to the reaction suspension. Keep stirring for 4 h.</li>
		<li>Add absolute ethanol to the reaction mixture at 0 &#176;C. Filter the yellow precipitate out and wash with diethyl ether. Dry under vacuum overnight to yield 6.18 g of compound A2 as pale-yellow solid.</li>
	</ol>
	</li>
	<li>Synthesis of compound A3
	<ol>
		<li>Add 2.7 mL of methyl iodide in 15 mL of acetonitrile. Also, separately prepare a solution of compound A2 by adding 6.18 g of A2 to 80 mL of water/acetonitrile (7:3 ratio). Mix both the solutions and stir at room temperature for 30 min.</li>
		<li>Heat the reaction mixture to 95 &#176;C and keep stirring for 3 h.</li>
		<li>Cool the reaction mixture to room temperature, and then evaporate the volatiles under vacuum.</li>
		<li>Extract the residue 3x with 100 mL of ethyl acetate and wash with brine. Dry the organic layer over anhydrous sodium sulfate, filter and evaporate the volatiles under vacuum to obtain a yellow solid.</li>
		<li>Subject the yellow solid to silica gel flash column chromatography (30% ethyl acetate/hexanes) to yield 4.52 g of the compound A3 as a light-yellow solid.</li>
	</ol>
	</li>
	<li>Synthesis of compound A4
	<ol>
		<li>Prepare allylamine solution by adding 925 &#181;L of allylamine in 20 mL of ethanol. Add this solution dropwise to the solution of compound A3, prepared by adding 3.14 g of A3 in 75 mL of absolute ethanol, over 30 min. Then heat the reaction mixture to reflux for 16 h.</li>
		<li>Cool the reaction mixture to room temperature and evaporate the volatiles to give a yellow solid.</li>
		<li>Subject the yellow solid to silica gel flash column chromatography (50% ethyl acetate/hexanes to 2% methanol/dichloromethane) to yield 1.80 g of compound A4 as a white crystal.</li>
	</ol>
	</li>
	<li>Synthesis of compound A5
	<ol>
		<li>Add 2.05 g of guanidinium hydrochloride and 7.8 mL of sodium ethoxide (21 wt% in ethanol) in 14 mL of absolute ethanol. Heat the mixture to 45 &#176;C for 15 min.</li>
		<li>Filter off the insoluble material and add the filtrate directly into the solution of compound A4, prepared by adding 2.70 g of A4 in 40 mL absolute ethanol. Heat the reaction mixture to reflux for 16 h.</li>
		<li>Filter the precipitate out to obtain 2.65 g of compound A5 as an off-white solid.</li>
	</ol>
	</li>
	<li>Synthesis of compound A6
	<ol>
		<li>Add 24.9 mL of triethylamine slowly to the slurry mixture obtained by adding 2.11 g of compound A5 and 1.10 g of 4-Dimethylaminopyridine in 120 mL of tetrahydrofuran over 1 min. Stir at room temperature for 2 min.</li>
		<li>Add 20.7 mL of di-tert-butyl dicarbonate dropwise to the reaction mixture and keep stirring at room temperature for 40 h.</li>
		<li>Add 20 mL of water to quench the reaction. Evaporate the volatiles under vacuum.</li>
		<li>Extract the red viscous residue with 500 mL of ethyl acetate. Then, wash it in with 250 mL of water, 75 mL of 10% citric acid, 2x with 200 mL of water, 200 mL of saturated sodium bicarbonate, and 200 mL of brine. Dry the organic layer over anhydrous sodium sulfate, filter and evaporate the volatiles under vacuum to give a red/orange solid.</li>
		<li>Subject the solid to silica gel flash column chromatography (0-20% ethyl acetate/hexanes) to yield 3.87 g of compound A6 as a white foam.</li>
	</ol>
	</li>
	<li>Synthesis of compound A7
	<ol>
		<li>Add N-methylmorpholine N-oxide (50 wt.% in water, 1.64 mL) dropwise to the solution of compound A6 (2.93 g) in acetone/water (8:1, 58.5 mL) and stir at room temperature for 5 min.</li>
		<li>Add osmium tetraoxide (4% aqueous solution) dropwise to the mixture over a period of 3 min and keep stirring at room temperature for 24 h.</li>
		<li>Quench the reaction with 1.0 M aqueous sodium sulfite until the solution turns colorless. Remove the volatiles under vacuum to result in a white slurry in water. Extract the residue with 350 mL of dichloromethane and then wash with 150 mL of water followed by a wash with 150 mL of brine.</li>
		<li>Dry the organic layer over anhydrous sodium sulfate, filter and evaporate the volatiles under vacuum to yield 2.45 g of compound A7 as a white solid.</li>
	</ol>
	</li>
	<li>Synthesis of compound A8
	<ol>
		<li>Add 760 g of sodium periodide to the mixture of 1.36 g of compound A7 in 35 mL of dichloromethane/water (6:1, 35 mL) and stir at room temperature for 42 h.</li>
		<li>Filter the insoluble material off and concentrate the filtrate under vacuum. Extract the resulting residue with 250 mL of dichloromethane, and then wash with 100 mL of water and 100 mL of brine. Dry the organic layer over anhydrous sodium sulfate, filter and evaporate the volatiles under vacuum to give the crude product.</li>
		<li>Subject the crude product to silica gel flash column chromatography (5-40% ethyl acetate/hexanes, then 5% methanol/dichloromethane) to yield 1.08 g of compound A8.</li>
	</ol>
	</li>
	<li>Synthesis of compound A9
	<ol>
		<li>Prepare a solution of 830 mg of compound A8 in 15 mL of 1,2-dichloroethane. Add the solution of dropwise to the mixture of 6-benzyloxycarbonylamino-2-L-amino-hexanoic acid trimethylsilyl ethyl ester (649.5 mg) and N,N-diisopropylethylamine (591 &#181;L) in 24 mL of 1,2-dichloroethane over 3 min and stir at room temperature for 15 min.</li>
		<li>Add 360.3 mg of sodium triacetoxyborohydride to the solution and keep stirring at room temperature for 24 h.</li>
		<li>Quench the reaction mixture with 6 mL of water. Extract the reaction mixture 3x with 200 mL of dichloromethane and wash with 200 mL of 10% citric acid in water, 2x with 200 mL of water, 200 mL of saturated sodium bicarbonate, and 200 mL of brine in that order. Dry the organic layer over anhydrous sodium sulfate, filter and evaporate the volatiles under vacuum to obtain the crude product.</li>
		<li>Subject the crude product to silica gel flash column chromatography (5-30% ethyl acetate/hexanes) to yield 885 mg compound A9.</li>
	</ol>
	</li>
	<li>Synthesis of JBNT monomer
	<ol>
		<li>Dissolve 0.54 g of compound A9 (0.54 g) in 10 mL of 94% trifluoroacetic acid/thioanisole solution and stir at room temperature for 72 h.</li>
		<li>Add diethyl ether (80 mL) to the reaction mixture and centrifuge the precipitate down. Pour the clear trifluoroacetic acid containing supernatant out and wash the white precipitate with diethyl ether and methanol to yield 168.6 mg crude JBNT monomer (Supplemental File 1).</li>
		<li>Purify the crude JBNT monomer by a high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) with a reverse phase column. The isolation program is listed below: Solvent A: 100% water; solvent B: 100% acetonitrile; solvent C: pH=1 HCl water solution; flow rate: 3 mL/min (see Table 1).</li>
		<li>Collect the largest peak at about 7.2 min.</li>
	</ol>
	</li>
</ol>
2. Fabrication for JBNT/FN
<ol>
	<li>Add 80 &#181;L of 1 mg/mL JBNT aqueous solution to 40 &#181;L of 1 mg/mL FN aqueous solution and pipette several times.</li>
	<li>Check for the presence of white solid suspension after pipetting for about 10 s. 
	NOTE: A video was shot to capture the self-assembly process of NM (Supplemental File 2).</li>
</ol>
3. Observation of lyophilized specimens
NOTE: This step is performed to show the scaffold structure of NM made from JBNTs and FN.
<ol>
	<li>Prepare FN, JBNT and FN/JBNT NM solutions for lyophilized materials observation. Dilute 10 &#181;L of 100 &#181;g/mL of FN with 40 &#181;L of distilled water to make a 20 &#181;g/mL solution of FN.</li>
	<li>Prepare 100 mg/mL solution of JBNTs by diluting 5 &#181;L of 1 mg/mL JBNTs in 45 &#181;L of DI water.</li>
	<li>Mix 10 &#181;L of 100 &#181;g/mL FN and 5 &#181;L of 1 mg/mL of JBNTs in 35 &#181;L of DI water to form the NM solution.</li>
	<li>Coat three wells of 96-well clear round bottom microplates with the FN, JBNT solution and NM solution, respectively. Each well receives 50 &#181;L of the solution.</li>
	<li>Perform lyophilization, as described below, to visualize the scaffold structure of the NM.
	<ol>
		<li>Freeze the plate at -80 &#176;C overnight.</li>
		<li>Turn on the lyophilized instrument and vacuum pump.</li>
		<li>Press the cool down button to reduce the temperature of the system to -50 &#176;C.</li>
		<li>Put the frozen plate into the lyophilized instrument and close all openings of the instruments.</li>
		<li>Click the start button to reduce the system pressure to 0.9 mbar.</li>
		<li>After 4 h, press the aerate button and open the valve to increase the system pressure to the atmospheric pressure.</li>
		<li>Take the plate out of the lyophilized instrument.</li>
		<li>Use a microscope to observe the FN, JBNTs and the resulting self-assembled NM. Take several photographs with a camera for the materials.</li>
	</ol>
	</li>
</ol>
4. Absorption spectra measurement
NOTE: Use the change of spectra for FN and JBNTs to present the self-assembled JBNT/FN NM12.
<ol>
	<li>Mix 30 &#181;L of 100 &#181;g/mL FN with 15 &#181;L of distilled water and 5 &#181;L of 1 mg/mL JBNTs to prepare the JBNT/FN NM solution. White solid suspension can be seen after pipetting the solution several times. 
	NOTE: The final concentrations of JBNTs and FN in the solution are 100 &#181;g/mL and 60 &#181;g/mL, respectively. JBNTs and FN solutions at the same concentration to the one used in the NM solution were also prepared as control solutions.</li>
	<li>Dilute 5 &#181;L of 1 mg/mL of JBNTs with 45 &#181;L of distilled water to prepare JBNT control solution.</li>
	<li>Dilute 30 &#181;L of 100 &#181;g/mL FN with 20 &#181;L of distilled water to prepare FN control solution.</li>
	<li>Measure the UV-vis absorption spectra of FN, JBNT and JBNT/FN NM solutions with the spectrophotometer (see Table of Materials) to characterize the assembly of NM.
	<ol>
		<li>Click the UV-Vis button. Clean the test surface of the spectrophotometer and drop 2 &#181;L of distilled water on it. Measure it as blank from 190-850 nm.</li>
		<li>Clean the test surface of the spectrophotometer and drop 2 &#181;L of FN solution on it. Measure the UV-Vis absorption spectra of FN solution from 190 nm to 850 nm.</li>
		<li>Clean the test surface of the spectrophotometer and drop 2 &#181;L of JBNT solution on it. Measure the absorption spectra of JBNT solution from 190 nm to 850 nm.</li>
		<li>Clean the test surface of the spectrophotometer and drop 2 &#181;L of JBNT/FN NM solution on it. Measure the absorption spectra of JBNT/FN NM solution from 190 nm to 850 nm.</li>
	</ol>
	</li>
</ol>
5. Preparation of JBNT/FN NM for transmission electronic microscopy (TEM)
<ol>
	<li>Clean several grids before negative staining with a basic plasma cleaner (see Table of Materials).</li>
	<li>Perform the negative staining for the specimens following two different processes.
	<ol>
		<li>Drop 3 &#181;L of 1 mg/mL of JBNTs aqueous solution and 3 &#181;L of JBNT/FN NM solution on separated grids and leave it for 2 min. Then rinse each grid with 100 &#181;L of 0.5% uranyl acetate (UA) solution. Drain the excess solution with filter paper and air dry the grids.</li>
		<li>Mix 9 &#181;L of JBNT/FN NM solution with 3 &#181;L of 2.0% UA solution and pipette it several times. Pipette the mixed solution on the grids and keep it on the grids for 2 min. Use a filter paper to remove the mixed solution from the grids and dry the grids at room temperature.</li>
	</ol>
	</li>
	<li>Finally, characterize the specimen for JBNTs, JBNT/FN NM stained with step 5.2.1, and JBNT/FN NM stained with step 5.2.2 with the TEM.</li>
</ol>
6. In vitro biological function assay
<ol>
	<li>Add 200 &#181;L of negative controls (NC, PBS), JBNTs, FN and the JBNT/FN NM solutions into one well of an 8-well chambered slide, respectively.</li>
	<li>Freeze dry the 8-well chambered coverglass with the lyophilized instrument to coat materials on the bottom of wells. The protocol for freeze-drying is the same as step 3.5.</li>
	<li>Then add 10,000 cells/wells hMSCs (Passage 3) into the wells and incubate them for 24 h at 37 &#176;C with 5% CO2.</li>
	<li>After incubation, pipette out the cell culture medium from the wells and rinse the culture with 1x PBS solution.</li>
	<li>Add 100 &#181;L of the fixative solution to each well with cells and leave for 5 min. Rinse cells gently with 1x PBS twice.</li>
	<li>Dilute 1% Triton-X 100 to 0.1%. Add 100 &#181;L of 0.1% Triton-X 100 to each well with cells and leave for 10 min. Rinse cells gently with 1x PBS twice.</li>
	<li>Dilute the Rhodamine Phalloidin to 1.65 &#181;M. Add 100 &#181;L of Rhodamine Phalloidin to each well with cells and incubate the chambered coverglass keeping from light at room temperature for 30 min. Rinse cells gently with 1x PBS twice.</li>
	<li>Capture the cell images with a fluorescent microscope.</li>
	<li>Count the cell numbers on fluorescent images for each group. Calculate the cell adhesion density by averaging of three random areas in each well.</li>
	<li>Present all data as average &#177; standard deviation (SD). Perform statistical analyses using a one-tailed t-test, followed by analysis of variance (ANOVA) with p&#60;0.05, which is considered statistically significant.</li>
</ol>

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Dr. Yupeng Chen is a co-founder of NanoDe Therapeutics, Inc.

In this study, we developed a self-assembled biomimetic NM, which was formed with DNA-inspired JBNTs and FN. When preparing the JBNT solution, the JBNT lyophilized powder should be dissolved into the water instead of PBS because PBS will cause agglomeration of JBNTs, which inhibits their assembly. Moreover, the NM should also be assembled in water if we want to observe the nano-fibril structures of the NM, because the salt in PBS will bundle with NM fibers, which can greatly reduce the resolution of the images.
<p cl...

Human mesenchymal stem cells (hMSCs) have shown the potential for self-renewal and self-differentiation along different mesenchymal lineages, which helps in the regeneration and maintenance of tissues1. Based on the differentiation potential, hMSCs are considered as candidates for mesenchymal tissue injuries and hematopoietic disorder therapy2. hMSCs have shown the ability to promote wound healing by increasing tissue repair, angiogenesis, and reducing inflammation3. However, without biochemical or biomaterials assistance, the efficiency for the hMSCs to reach a target tissue and function at the desired location is low4. Although various engineered scaffolds have been utilized to attract hMSCs to adhere onto the lesions, some sites such as growth plate fracture, in the middle of a long bone, are not easily accessible by the conventional pre-fabricated scaffolds, which may not fit perfectly into an irregularly shaped injured site.
Here, we have developed a biomimetic nanomaterial that can self-assemble in situ and be injected to a hard to reach target area. The injectable bio-scaffold NM is composed of Janus base nanotubes (JBNTs) and fibronectin (FN). JBNTs, also known as the Rosette Nanotubes (RNTs), are derived from DNA base pairs, specifically thymine and adenine, here5,6,7. As seen in Figure 1, the nanotubes are formed when six molecules of the derived DNA base pairs self-assemble via hydrogen bonds to form a plane6. Six molecules are then stacked onto each other in a plane via a strong pi-stacking interaction7, which can be up to 200-300 &#181;m in length. The JBNTs are designed to morphologically mimic collagen fibers so that FN will react with them.
FN is a high molecular weight adhesive glycoprotein, which can be found in the extracellular matrix (ECM)9. These can mediate the attachment of stem cells to other components of the ECM, particularly collagen10. We designed JBNTs to morphologically mimic collagen fibers so FN can react with them to form NM in a few seconds via noncovalent bonding. Therefore, NM is a promising bio-scaffold to be injected into a bone fracture site that could not be accessible by the conventionally fabricated scaffolds. Here, the injectable NM presents an excellent ability to enhance hMSC anchorage in vitro, exhibiting their potential to serve as a scaffold for tissue regeneration.

<table>
	<tbody>
		<tr>
			<td>1,2-dichloroethane</td>
			<td>Alfa Aesar</td>
			<td>39121</td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>2-cyanoacetic acid</td>
			<td>Sigma-Aldrich</td>
			<td>C88505</td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>4-Dimethylaminopyridine</td>
			<td>TCI America</td>
			<td>D1450</td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>8 wells Chambered Coverglass</td>
			<td>Thermo Fisher</td>
			<td>155409</td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>96-well plate</td>
			<td>Corning</td>
			<td>353072</td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>absolute ethanol</td>
			<td>Thermo Fisher</td>
			<td>BP2818500</td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>acetone</td>
			<td>Sigma-Aldrich</td>
			<td>179124</td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>acetonitrile</td>
			<td>Sigma-Aldrich</td>
			<td>34851</td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>allylamine</td>
			<td>Sigma-Aldrich</td>
			<td>145831</td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>Basic Plasma Cleaner</td>
			<td>Harrick Plasma</td>
			<td>PDC32G</td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>citric acid</td>
			<td>Sigma-Aldrich</td>
			<td>251275</td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>concentrated hydrochloric acid</td>
			<td>Sigma-Aldrich</td>
			<td>H1758</td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>Deionized water</td>
			<td>Thermo Fisher</td>
			<td>15230147</td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>dichloromethane</td>
			<td>Sigma-Aldrich</td>
			<td>270997</td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>diethyl ether</td>
			<td>Sigma-Aldrich</td>
			<td>296082</td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>Di-tert-butyl dicarbonate</td>
			<td>Sigma-Aldrich</td>
			<td>361941</td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>ethyl acetate</td>
			<td>Sigma-Aldrich</td>
			<td>319902</td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>ethylcarbamate</td>
			<td>Sigma-Aldrich</td>
			<td>U2500</td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>Fibronectin</td>
			<td>Thermo Fisher</td>
			<td>PHE0023</td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>Fixative Solution (4 % formaldehyde prepared in PBS)</td>
			<td>Thermo Fisher</td>
			<td>R37814</td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>guanidinium hydrochloride</td>
			<td>Alfa Aesar</td>
			<td>A13543</td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>hexanes</td>
			<td>Sigma-Aldrich</td>
			<td>227064</td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>Human mesenchymal stem cells</td>
			<td>Lonza</td>
			<td>PT-2501</td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>methanol</td>
			<td>Sigma-Aldrich</td>
			<td>34860</td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>methyl iodide</td>
			<td>Sigma-Aldrich</td>
			<td>289566</td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>N,N-Diisopropylethylamine</td>
			<td>Alfa Aesar</td>
			<td>A17114</td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>N,N-dimethylformamide</td>
			<td>Sigma-Aldrich</td>
			<td>227056</td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>N-Methylmorpholine N-oxide</td>
			<td>Alfa Aesar</td>
			<td>A19802</td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>Osmium tetraoxide</td>
			<td>Alfa Aesar</td>
			<td>45385</td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>Penicillin-Streptomycin</td>
			<td>Thermo Fisher</td>
			<td>15140163</td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>Phosphate Buffer Solution</td>
			<td>Thermo Fisher</td>
			<td>20012050</td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>phosphoryl chloride</td>
			<td>Sigma-Aldrich</td>
			<td>201170</td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>potassium carbonate</td>
			<td>Sigma-Aldrich</td>
			<td>347825</td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>reverse phase column</td>
			<td>Thermo Fisher</td>
			<td>25305-154630</td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>Rhodamine Phalloidin</td>
			<td>Thermo Fisher</td>
			<td>R415</td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>silica gel</td>
			<td>TCI America</td>
			<td>S0821</td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>sodium bicarbonate</td>
			<td>Sigma-Aldrich</td>
			<td>S6014</td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>sodium ethoxide</td>
			<td>Alfa Aesar</td>
			<td>L13083</td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>sodium periodide</td>
			<td>Sigma-Aldrich</td>
			<td>71859</td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>sodium sulfate</td>
			<td>Sigma-Aldrich</td>
			<td>239313</td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>sodium sulfite</td>
			<td>Sigma-Aldrich</td>
			<td>S0505</td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>sodium triacetoxyborohydride</td>
			<td>Alfa Aesar</td>
			<td>B22060</td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>spectrophotometer(NanoDrop One/One&#7580; UV-Vis)</td>
			<td>Thermo Fisher</td>
			<td>ND-ONE-W</td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>Stem Cell Growth Medium BulletKit</td>
			<td>Lonza</td>
			<td>PT-3001</td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>tetrahydrofuran</td>
			<td>Sigma-Aldrich</td>
			<td>401757</td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>thioanisole</td>
			<td>Sigma-Aldrich</td>
			<td>T28002</td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>toluene</td>
			<td>Sigma-Aldrich</td>
			<td>179418</td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>triethylamine</td>
			<td>Alfa Aesar</td>
			<td>A12646</td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>trifluoroacetic acid</td>
			<td>Alfa Aesar</td>
			<td>A12198</td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>Triton X-100</td>
			<td>Thermo Fisher</td>
			<td>HFH10</td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>Trypsin-EDTA solution</td>
			<td>Thermo Fisher</td>
			<td>25200056</td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
	</tbody>
</table>

fabrication of a biomimetic nano-matrix with janus base nanotubes and fibronectin for stem cell adhesion

A biomimetic NM was developed to serve as a tissue-engineering biological scaffold, which can enhance stem cell anchorage. The biomimetic NM is formed from JBNTs and FN through self-assembly in an aqueous solution. JBNTs measure 200-300 &#181;m in length with inner hydrophobic hollow channels and outer hydrophilic surfaces. JBNTs are positively charged and FNs are negatively charged. Therefore, when injected into a neutral aqueous solution, they are bonded together via noncovalent bonding to form the NM bundles. The self-assembly process is completed within a few seconds without any chemical initiators, heat source, or UV light. When the pH of the NM solution is lower than the isoelectric point of FNs (pI 5.5-6.0), the NM bundles will self-release due to the presence of positively charged FN.
NM is known to mimic the extracellular matrix (ECM) morphologically and hence, can be used as an injectable scaffold, which provides an excellent platform to enhance hMSC adhesion. Cell density analysis and fluorescence imaging experiments indicated that the NMs significantly increased the anchorage of hMSCs compared to the negative control.

Our studies discovered that the formation of the NM of JBNTs and FN is fast, which happened in 10 seconds. As shown in Figure 2, white floccule was obtained when the JBNT solution was mixed with the FN solution and pipetted several times. The formation process of NM is completely biomimetic. No external stimuli are needed. The process of fabrication is much easier than that of some emerging biomaterials, which is based on ultraviolet light or chemical initiator for crosslinking<sup class="xr...

Watch this Scientific Journal Video about Fabrication of a Biomimetic Nano-Matrix with Janus Base Nanotubes and Fibronectin for Stem Cell Adhesion at JoVE.com

Fabrication of a Biomimetic Nano-Matrix with Janus Base Nanotubes and Fibronectin for Stem Cell Adhesion

The goal of this protocol is to show the assembly of a biomimetic nanomatrix (NM) with Janus base nanotubes (JBNTs) and fibronectin (FN). When co-cultured with human mesenchymal stem cells (hMSCs), the NMs exhibit excellent bioactivity in encouraging hMSCs adhesion.

A biomimetic NM was developed to serve as a tissue-engineering biological scaffold, which can enhance stem cell anchorage. The biomimetic NM is formed ...

fabrication-biomimetic-nano-matrix-with-janus-base-nanotubes

Research

JoVE Journal

Bioengineering

4.0K Views.  University of Connecticut. The goal of this protocol is to show the assembly of a biomimetic nanomatrix (NM) with Janus base nanotubes (JBNTs) and fibronectin (FN). When co-cultured with human mesenchymal stem cells (hMSCs), the NMs exhibit excellent bioactivity in encouraging hMSCs adhesion.

Video: Fabrication of a Biomimetic Nano-Matrix with Janus Base Nanotubes and Fibronectin for Stem Cell Adhesion

Microfluidic Fabrication of Polymeric and Biohybrid Fibers with Predesigned Size and Shape

A &#8220;sheath&#8221; fluid passing through a microfluidic channel at low Reynolds number can be directed around another &#8220;core&#8221; stream and used to dictate the shape as well as the diameter of a core stream.&#160;Grooves in the top and bottom of a microfluidic channel were designed to direct the sheath fluid and shape the core fluid.&#160;By matching the viscosity and hydrophilicity of the sheath and core fluids, the interfacial effects are minimized and complex fluid shapes can be formed.&#160;Controlling the relative flow rates of the sheath and core fluids determines the cross-sectional area of the core fluid.&#160;Fibers have been produced with sizes ranging from 300 nm to ~1 mm, and fiber cross-sections can be round, flat, square, or complex as in the case with double anchor fibers. Polymerization of the core fluid downstream from the shaping region solidifies the fibers.&#160;Photoinitiated click chemistries are well suited for rapid polymerization of the core fluid by irradiation with ultraviolet light.&#160;Fibers with a wide variety of shapes have been produced from a list of polymers including liquid crystals, poly(methylmethacrylate), thiol-ene and thiol-yne resins, polyethylene glycol, and hydrogel derivatives. Minimal shear during the shaping process and mild polymerization conditions also makes the fabrication process well suited for encapsulation of cells and other biological components.

Two adjacent fluids passing through a grooved microfluidic channel can be directed to form a sheath around a prepolymer core; thereby&#160;determining both shape and cross-section. Photoinitiated polymerization, such as thiol click chemistry, is well suited for rapidly solidifying the core fluid into a microfiber with predetermined size and shape.

A &#8220;sheath&#8221; fluid passing through a microfluidic channel at low Reynolds number can be directed around another &#8220;core&#8221; stream and ...

Helical Organization of Blood Coagulation Factor VIII on Lipid Nanotubes

Cryo-electron microscopy (Cryo-EM)1 is a powerful approach to investigate the functional structure of proteins and complexes in a hydrated state and membrane environment2.
Coagulation Factor VIII (FVIII)3 is a multi-domain blood plasma glycoprotein. Defect or deficiency of FVIII is the cause for Hemophilia type A&#160;-&#160;a severe bleeding disorder. Upon proteolytic activation, FVIII binds to the serine protease Factor IXa on the negatively charged platelet membrane, which is critical for normal blood clotting4. Despite the pivotal role FVIII plays in coagulation, structural information for its membrane-bound state is incomplete5. Recombinant FVIII concentrate is the most effective drug against Hemophilia type A and commercially available FVIII can be expressed as human or porcine, both forming functional complexes with human Factor IXa6,7.
In this study we present a combination of Cryo-electron microscopy (Cryo-EM), lipid nanotechnology and structure analysis applied to resolve the membrane-bound structure of two highly homologous FVIII forms: human and porcine. The methodology developed in our laboratory to helically organize the two functional recombinant FVIII forms on negatively charged lipid nanotubes (LNT) is described.&#160;The representative results demonstrate that our approach is sufficiently sensitive to define the differences in the helical organization between the two highly homologous in sequence (86% sequence identity) proteins. Detailed protocols for the helical organization, Cryo-EM and electron tomography (ET) data acquisition are given. The two-dimensional (2D) and three-dimensional (3D) structure analysis applied to obtain the 3D reconstructions of human and porcine FVIII-LNT is discussed. The presented human and porcine FVIII-LNT structures show the potential of the proposed methodology to calculate the functional, membrane-bound organization of blood coagulation Factor VIII at high resolution.

We present a combination of Cryo-electron microscopy, lipid nanotechnology, and structure analysis applied to resolve the membrane-bound structure of two highly homologous FVIII forms: human and porcine. The methodology developed in our laboratory&#160;to helically organize the two functional recombinant FVIII forms on negatively charged lipid nanotubes (LNT) is described.

Cryo-electron microscopy (Cryo-EM)1 is a powerful approach to investigate the functional structure of proteins and complexes in a hydrated state and ...

Using Cell-substrate Impedance and Live Cell Imaging to Measure Real-time Changes in Cellular Adhesion and De-adhesion Induced by Matrix Modification

Cell-matrix adhesion plays a key role in controlling cell morphology and signaling. Stimuli that disrupt cell-matrix adhesion (e.g., myeloperoxidase and other matrix-modifying oxidants/enzymes released during inflammation) are implicated in triggering pathological changes in cellular function, phenotype and viability in a number of diseases. Here, we describe how cell-substrate impedance and live cell imaging approaches can be readily employed to accurately quantify real-time changes in cell adhesion and de-adhesion induced by matrix modification (using endothelial cells and myeloperoxidase as a pathophysiological matrix-modifying stimulus) with high temporal resolution and in a non-invasive manner. The xCELLigence cell-substrate impedance system continuously quantifies the area of cell-matrix adhesion by measuring the electrical impedance at the cell-substrate interface in cells grown on gold microelectrode arrays. Image analysis of time-lapse differential interference contrast movies quantifies changes in the projected area of individual cells over time, representing changes in the area of cell-matrix contact. Both techniques accurately quantify rapid changes to cellular adhesion and de-adhesion processes. Cell-substrate impedance on microelectrode biosensor arrays provides a platform for robust, high-throughput measurements. Live cell imaging analyses provide additional detail regarding the nature and dynamics of the morphological changes quantified by cell-substrate impedance measurements. These complementary approaches provide valuable new insights into how myeloperoxidase-catalyzed oxidative modification of subcellular extracellular matrix components triggers rapid changes in cell adhesion, morphology and signaling in endothelial cells. These approaches are also applicable for studying cellular adhesion dynamics in response to other matrix-modifying stimuli and in related adherent cells (e.g., epithelial cells).

Here, we present a protocol to continuously quantify cell adhesion and de-adhesion processes with high temporal resolution in a non-invasive manner by cell-substrate impedance and live cell imaging analyses. These approaches reveal the dynamics of cell adhesion/de-adhesion processes triggered by matrix modification and their temporal relationship to adhesion-dependent signaling events.

Cell-matrix adhesion plays a key role in controlling cell morphology and signaling. Stimuli that disrupt cell-matrix adhesion (e.g., myeloperoxidase and ...

Biomembrane Fabrication by the Solvent-assisted Lipid Bilayer (SALB) Method

In order to mimic cell membranes, the supported lipid bilayer (SLB) is an attractive platform which enables in vitro investigation of membrane-related processes while conferring biocompatibility and biofunctionality to solid substrates. The spontaneous adsorption and rupture of phospholipid vesicles is the most commonly used method to form SLBs. However, under physiological conditions, vesicle fusion (VF) is limited to only a subset of lipid compositions and solid supports. Here, we describe a one-step general procedure called the solvent-assisted lipid bilayer (SALB) formation method in order to form SLBs which does not require vesicles. The SALB method involves the deposition of lipid molecules onto a solid surface in the presence of water-miscible organic solvents (e.g., isopropanol) and subsequent solvent-exchange with aqueous buffer solution in order to trigger SLB formation. The continuous solvent exchange step enables application of the method in a flow-through configuration suitable for monitoring bilayer formation and subsequent alterations using a wide range of surface-sensitive biosensors. The SALB method can be used to fabricate SLBs on a wide range of hydrophilic solid surfaces, including those which are intractable to vesicle fusion. In addition, it enables fabrication of SLBs composed of lipid compositions which cannot be prepared using the vesicle fusion method. Herein, we compare results obtained with the SALB and conventional vesicle fusion methods on two illustrative hydrophilic surfaces, silicon dioxide and gold. To optimize the experimental conditions for preparation of high quality bilayers prepared via the SALB method, the effect of various parameters, including the type of organic solvent in the deposition step, the rate of solvent exchange, and the lipid concentration is discussed along with troubleshooting tips. Formation of supported membranes containing high fractions of cholesterol is also demonstrated with the SALB method, highlighting the technical capabilities of the SALB technique for a wide range of membrane configurations.

Biomembrane Fabrication by the Solvent-assisted Lipid Bilayer SALB Method

We present an experimental protocol to form a supported lipid bilayer on solid substrates without using lipid vesicles. We demonstrate a one-step method to form a lipid bilayer on silicon dioxide and gold as well as supported membranes with cholesterol-enriched domain for various biological applications.

In order to mimic cell membranes, the supported lipid bilayer (SLB) is an attractive platform which enables in vitro investigation of membrane-related ...

Micropatterning and Assembly of 3D Microvessels

In vitro platforms to study endothelial cells and vascular biology are largely limited to 2D endothelial cell culture, flow chambers with polymer or glass based substrates, and hydrogel-based tube formation assays. These assays, while informative, do not recapitulate lumen geometry, proper extracellular matrix, and multi-cellular proximity, which play key roles in modulating vascular function. This manuscript describes an injection molding method to generate engineered vessels with diameters on the order of 100 &#181;m. Microvessels are fabricated by seeding endothelial cells in a microfluidic channel embedded within a native type I collagen hydrogel. By incorporating parenchymal cells within the collagen matrix prior to channel formation, specific tissue microenvironments can be modeled and studied. Additional modulations of hydrodynamic properties and media composition allow for control of complex vascular function within the desired microenvironment. This platform allows for the study of perivascular cell recruitment, blood-endothelium interactions, flow response, and tissue-microvascular interactions. Engineered microvessels offer the ability to isolate the influence from individual components of a vascular niche and precisely control its chemical, mechanical, and biological properties to study vascular biology in both health and disease.

This manuscript presents an injection molding method to engineer microvessels that recapitulate physiological properties of endothelium. The microfluidic-based process creates patent 3D vascular networks with tailorable conditions, such as flow, cellular composition, geometry, and biochemical gradients. The fabrication process and examples of potential applications are described.

In vitro platforms to study endothelial cells and vascular biology are largely limited to 2D endothelial cell culture, flow chambers with polymer or glass ...

DNA Nanotubes as a Versatile Tool to Study Semiflexible Polymers

Mechanical properties of complex, polymer-based soft matter, such as cells or biopolymer networks, can be understood in neither the classical frame of flexible polymers nor of rigid rods. Underlying filaments remain outstretched due to their non-vanishing backbone stiffness, which is quantified via the persistence length (lp), but they are also subject to strong thermal fluctuations. Their finite bending stiffness leads to unique, non-trivial collective mechanics of bulk networks, enabling the formation of stable scaffolds at low volume fractions while providing large mesh sizes. This underlying principle is prevalent in nature (e.g., in cells or tissues), minimizing the high molecular content and thereby facilitating diffusive or active transport. Due to their biological implications and potential technological applications in biocompatible hydrogels, semiflexible polymers have been subject to considerable study. However, comprehensible investigations remained challenging since they relied on natural polymers, such as actin filaments, which are not freely tunable. Despite these limitations and due to the lack of synthetic, mechanically tunable, and semiflexible polymers, actin filaments were established as the common model system. A major limitation is that the central quantity lp cannot be freely tuned to study its impact on macroscopic bulk structures. This limitation was resolved by employing structurally programmable DNA nanotubes, enabling controlled alteration of the filament stiffness. They are formed through tile-based designs, where a discrete set of partially complementary strands hybridize in a ring structure with a discrete circumference. These rings feature sticky ends, enabling the effective polymerization into filaments several microns in length, and display similar polymerization kinetics as natural biopolymers. Due to their programmable mechanics, these tubes are versatile, novel tools to study the impact of lp on the single-molecule as well as the bulk scale. In contrast to actin filaments, they remain stable over weeks, without notable degeneration, and their handling is comparably straightforward.

Semiflexible polymers display unique mechanical properties that are extensively applied by living systems. However, systematic studies on biopolymers are limited since properties such as polymer rigidity are inaccessible. This manuscript describes how this limitation is circumvented by programmable DNA nanotubes, enabling experimental studies on the impact of filament rigidity.

Mechanical properties of complex, polymer-based soft matter, such as cells or biopolymer networks, can be understood in neither the classical frame of ...

Fabrication and Validation of an Organ-on-chip System with Integrated Electrodes to Directly Quantify Transendothelial Electrical Resistance

Organs-on-chips, in vitro models involving the culture of (human) tissues inside microfluidic devices, are rapidly emerging and promise to provide useful research tools for studying human health and disease. To characterize the barrier function of cell layers cultured inside organ-on-chip devices, often transendothelial or transepithelial electrical resistance (TEER) is measured. To this end, electrodes are usually integrated into the chip by micromachining methods to provide more stable measurements than is achieved with manual insertion of electrodes into the inlets of the chip. However, these electrodes frequently hamper visual inspection of the studied cell layer or require expensive cleanroom processes for fabrication. To overcome these limitations, the device described here contains four easily integrated electrodes that are placed and fixed outside of the culture area, making visual inspection possible. Using these four electrodes the resistance of six measurement paths can be quantified, from which the TEER can be directly isolated, independent of the resistance of culture medium-filled microchannels. The blood-brain barrier was replicated in this device and its TEER was monitored to show the device applicability. This chip, the integrated electrodes and the TEER determination method are generally applicable in organs-on-chips, both to mimic other organs or to be incorporated into existing organ-on-chip systems.

This publication describes the fabrication of an organ-on-chip device with integrated electrodes for direct quantification of transendothelial electrical resistance (TEER). For validation, the blood-brain barrier was mimicked inside this microfluidic device and its barrier function was monitored. The presented methods for electrode integration and direct TEER quantification are generally applicable.

Organs-on-chips, in vitro models involving the culture of (human) tissues inside microfluidic devices, are rapidly emerging and promise to provide useful ...

Ultrathin Porated Elastic Hydrogels As a Biomimetic Basement Membrane for Dual Cell Culture

The basement membrane is a critical component of cellular bilayers that can vary in stiffness, composition, architecture, and porosity. In vitro studies of endothelial-epithelial bilayers have traditionally relied on permeable support models that enable bilayer culture, but permeable supports are limited in their ability to replicate the diversity of human basement membranes. In contrast, hydrogel models that require chemical synthesis are highly tunable and allow for modifications of both the material stiffness and the biochemical composition via incorporation of biomimetic peptides or proteins. However, traditional hydrogel models are limited in functionality because they lack pores for cell-cell contacts and functional in vitro migration studies. Additionally, due to the thickness of traditional hydrogels, incorporation of pores that span the entire thickness of hydrogels has been challenging. In the present study, we use poly-(ethylene-glycol) (PEG) hydrogels and a novel zinc oxide templating method to address the previous shortcomings of biomimetic hydrogels. As a result, we present an ultrathin, basement membrane-like hydrogel that permits the culture of confluent cellular bilayers on a customizable scaffold with variable pore architectures, mechanical properties, and biochemical composition.

Current bilayer culture models do not allow for functional in vitro studies that mimic in vivo microenvironments. Using polyethylene glycol and a zinc oxide templating method, this protocol describes the development of an ultrathin biomimetic basement membrane with tunable stiffness, porosity, and biochemical composition that closely mimics in vivo extracellular matrices.

The basement membrane is a critical component of cellular bilayers that can vary in stiffness, composition, architecture, and porosity. In vitro studies ...

Fabrication of Custom Agarose Wells for Cell Seeding and Tissue Ring Self-assembly Using 3D-Printed Molds

Engineered tissues are being used clinically for tissue repair and replacement, and are being developed as tools for drug screening and human disease modeling. Self-assembled tissues offer advantages over scaffold-based tissue engineering, such as enhanced matrix deposition, strength, and function. However, there are few available methods for fabricating 3D tissues without seeding cells on or within a supporting scaffold. Previously, we developed a system for fabricating self-assembled tissue rings by seeding cells into non-adhesive agarose wells. A polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) negative was first cast in a machined polycarbonate mold, and then agarose was gelled in the PDMS negative to create ring-shaped cell seeding wells. However, the versatility of this approach was limited by the resolution of the tools available for machining the polycarbonate mold. Here, we demonstrate that 3D-printed plastic can be used as an alternative to machined polycarbonate for fabricating PDMS negatives. The 3D-printed mold and revised mold design is simpler to use, inexpensive to produce, and requires significantly less agarose and PDMS per cell seeding well. We have demonstrated that the resulting agarose wells can be used to create self-assembled tissue rings with customized diameters from a variety of different cell types. Rings can then be used for mechanical, functional, and histological analysis, or for fabricating larger and more complex tubular tissues.

This protocol describes a platform for fabricating self-assembled tissue rings in variable sizes using a customized 3D-printed plastic mold. PDMS negatives are cured in the 3D-printed mold; then agarose is cast in the cured PDMS negatives. Cells are seeded into the resulting agarose wells where they aggregate into tissue rings.

Engineered tissues are being used clinically for tissue repair and replacement, and are being developed as tools for drug screening and human disease ...

Synthesis of Multi-walled Carbon Nanotubes Modified with Silver Nanoparticles and Evaluation of Their Antibacterial Activities and Cytotoxic Properties

In this study, multi-walled carbon nanotubes (MWCNTs) were treated with an aqueous sulfuric acid solution to form an oxygen-based functional group. Silver MWCNTs were prepared by the reductive deposition of silver from an aqueous solution of AgNO3 on the oxidized MWCNTs. Given the unique color of the CNTs, it was not possible to apply them to the minimum inhibitory concentration or mitochondrial toxicity assays to evaluate the toxicity and antibacterial properties, since they would interfere with the assays. The inhibition zone and minimum bactericidal concentration for the Ag-MWCNTs were measured and Live/Dead and Trypan Blue assays were used to measure the toxicity and antibacterial properties without interfering with the color of the CNTs.

In this study, antimicrobial nanomaterials were synthesized by acidic oxidation of multiwalled carbon nanotubes and subsequent reductive deposition of silver nanoparticles. Antimicrobial activity and cytotoxicity tests were performed with the as-prepared nanomaterials.

In this study, multi-walled carbon nanotubes (MWCNTs) were treated with an aqueous sulfuric acid solution to form an oxygen-based functional group. Silver ...