Cell migration is controlled by surface chemistry and swelling of substrates.The cell migration plays a crucial role in a variety of physiological and pathological processes such as wound healing and tumor metastasis. C. Gao and co-workers at Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, China, have shown that both the surface chemistry and swelling of the salt-etched polyelectrolyte multilayers, rather than the surface roughness and wettability, play primary roles in controlling cell migration. The negatively charged and highly hydrated surface can effectively promote the mobility of smooth muscle cells. These basic principles provide new guidelines for design of advanced biomaterials in regenerative medicine.

Lulu Han, Zhengwei Mao, Jindan Wu, Yuying Zhang and Changyou Gao*. Influences of surface chemistry and swelling of salt-treated polyelectrolyte multilayers on migration of smooth muscle cells. Journal of Royal Society Interface, doi: 10.1098/rsif.2012.0546.