POS8-0427
Chemically Defined Polymer Surfaces Direct Collective Motility and Epithelial Repair in Human Intestinal Stem Cells
Topic
S8. Frontiers of Functional Polymers in Biology and Medicine
When and Where
Oct 1, 2026
08:30 - 09:30
Room 301 (Grand Ballroom)
Session Chairs
Jinkee HONG
Ki Su KIM
Presenter(s)
Seonghyeon Park (KAIST)
Co-Author(s)
Abstract
Intestinal stem cells (ISCs) require defined microenvironment to maintain self-renewal and regenerative function. However, current ISC culture systems rely on xenogeneic matrices with poor reproducibility and limited control over cell-material interactions. Here, we developed a chemically defined polymeric culture substrate that provides an instructive synthetic niche for ISC expansion and regeneration. The platform is based on poly(ethylene glycol dimethacrylate) (pEGDMA), whose surface chemistry was engineered through plasma-assisted modification to generate a stable bioactive interface termed PLUS. The modification alters surface chemistry while preserving nanoscale topography, enabling direct investigation of surface-driven cellular responses. Surface characterization confirmed a durable interface that retained bioactivity after prolonged ambient storage. PLUS supported robust ISC adhesion, proliferation, and colony formation without exogeneous extracellular matrix proteins. Proteomic analysis revealed upregulation of adhesion- and cytoskeleton-associated pathways, accompanied by enhanced actin organization and protrusive activity. These responses promoted collective migration, increasing migration velocity by approximately 1.8-fold compared with unmodified controls. Inhibition of actin polymerization attenuated these effects, confirming the role of cytoskeletal remodeling in mediating ISC-material interactions. Functionally, enhanced collective migration accelerated epithelial repair, achieving up to 46.7% wound closure within 144 hours. These findings demonstrate that precisely engineered pEGDMA interfaces can actively regulate ISC behavior and regenerative responses through surface-mediated mechanotransductive signaling. The PLUS platform represents a reproducible and scalable polymer-based alternative to conventional biological matrices for stem cell culture and regenerative medicine applications.
