adhesionpromoting

Adhesion-promoting describes agents, molecules, or strategies that enhance the adherence of cells, tissues, or materials to surfaces or to other entities. In biology, adhesion is mediated by cell adhesion molecules and extracellular matrix components that link cells to one another or to the surrounding matrix. Key families include integrins, cadherins, and selectins, as well as ECM proteins such as fibronectin, collagen, and laminin. Peptide motifs like RGD can promote adhesion by engaging integrin receptors, influencing cell spreading, migration, and signaling.

In biomaterials and medicine, adhesion-promoting approaches involve surface modification or functionalization to improve biocompatibility and tissue integration. Examples include silane coupling agents, plasma-activated surfaces, hydroxyapatite coatings, and the grafting of ECM-derived or synthetic peptide ligands that present cell-binding motifs. Such strategies are used to enhance implant fixation, wound healing, and tissue engineering constructs.

Applications and considerations: adhesion-promoting properties impact the performance of implants, grafts, and scaffolds, and are balanced against biocompatibility, degradation, and mechanical requirements. The effectiveness depends on factors such as receptor availability, surface chemistry, topography, and the biological environment.

See also: cell adhesion, extracellular matrix, integrins, cadherins, biofunctionalization.