Designer Paths for Guided Axon Extension in Three- Dimensional Structures

9805835 Hu The long-term objective of this project is to develop a method of directing nerve axonal growth within three-dimensional matrices for tissue engineering applications. To facilitate the selective deposition of biologically active molecules in a three-dimensional structure, a photochemical technique will be employed that relies on a penetrating laser to spatially control the binding of bioactive molecules. This method can be applied to deposit virtually any molecule that can be conjugated to a photolinker. The immediate objective of this project is to apply the developed method to investigate the factors critical to path finding in both two-dimensional surfaces and three-dimensional structures. ***