Nanotopographical modification: A regulator of cellular function through focal adhesions

As materials technology and the field of biomedical engineering advances, the role of cellular mechanisms, in particular adhesive interactions with implantable devices, becomes more relevant in both research and clinical practice. A key tenet of medical device design revolves around the exquisite ability of biological systems to respond to topographic features or chemical stimuli, a process which has led to the development of next-generation biomaterials for a wide variety of clinical disorders. In vitro studies have identified nanoscale features as potent modulators of cellular behaviour and the onset of focal adhesion formation. The focus of this review is on the recent developments concerning the role of nanoscale structures on integrin mediated adhesion and cellular function with an emphasis on the generation of synthetic constructs for regenerative applications.