The quest towards αvβ 3-or α 5 β 1-integrin selective peptidomimetics for surface coating-History , recent advances and future perspectives

Engineering biomaterials with integrin-binding activity is a very powerful approach to promote cell adhesion, modulate cell behavior and induce specific biological responses at the surface level. The aim of this review is to illustrate the evolution of surface coating molecules in this field: from peptides and proteins with relatively low integrin-binding activity and receptor selectivity to highly active and selective peptidomimetic ligands. In particular, we will bring into focus the difficult challenge of achieving selectivity between the two closely related integrin subtypes αvβ3 and α5β1. Functionalization of surfaces with such peptidomimetics opens the way for a new generation of highly specific cell-instructive surfaces to both dissect the biological role of integrin subtypes and implement in tissue engineering and regenerative medicine applications.