This method of cell engineering makes it possible to encourage nerve cells to grow in predetermined directions. Photo courtesy of Dr Kevin Shakesheff. They react, on the micron and nano scale, to the topography, or shape, of their environment and to the chemistry around them. Manipulating these properties in the extracellular matrix, opens up new opportunities to study how cells behave. These scaffolds are a bit like play parks for cells, and they let you see what a cell can do.
Some cells are very agile, and can do amazing things.
Others are a bit slow and thick. For example, Dr Shakesheff and his colleagues have been able show that cells will line up along the chemical trail laid on a flat polymer surface, even when the trail is only as wide as a single cell. But understanding how single cells behave and respond is the just the beginning. Most people would agree that cell engineering naturally extends beyond the cell to include the use of cells and parts of cells to build structures, such as tissues. These are of interest both for fundamental research and for the repair of tissues and wounds.