ENGINEERING DYNAMICS OF GROWTH-FACTORS AND OTHER THERAPEUTIC LIGANDS

Peptide growth factors and other receptor-binding cytokine ligands are of interest in contemporary molecular health care approaches in appli cations such as wound healing, tissue regeneration, and gene therapy. Development of effective technologies based on operation of these regu latory molecules requires an ability to deliver the ligands to target cells in a reliable and well-characterizable manner. Quantitative info rmation concerning the fate of peptide ligands within tissues is neces sary for adequate interpretation of experimental observations at the t issue level and for truly rational engineering design of ligand-based therapies. To address this need, we are undertaking efforts to elucida te effects of key molecular and cellular parameters on temporal and sp atial distribution of cytokines in cell population and cell/matrix sys tems. In this article we summarize some of our recent findings on dyna mics of growth factor depletion by cellular endocytic trafficking, gro wth factor transport through cellular matrices, and growth factor prod uction and release by autocrine cell systems. (C) 1996 John Wiley & So ns, Inc.