Living cells are endowed with an exquisite
repertoire of functions, including the machinery to
synthesize complex molecules, to detect
extracellular analytes, and to interact with other
cells. The nascent field of engineered cell adhesion
has captured the imaginations of researchers hoping
to construct new types of synthetic devices that
contain living cells. Such devices might one day
find use in applications including biosensing, drug
discovery, artificial tissue engineering, and basic
studies in cell biology. This book focuses on the
development of a new tool that can be used
to "program" cellular adhesion using strands of DNA.
Experiments validating this concept are described,
as well as the adaptation of the strategy into a
platform for highly-efficient, long-term cell
patterning. The work described in this book will be
of substantial interest to academic and industrial
practitioners in chemical biology, engineering, and
medicine.