True or false: A cell approaching a surface is subject to both attractive and repulsive forces including steric stabilization force, electrostatic force, and Van der Waals forces.

Study for the Tissue Engineering Exam. Enhance your knowledge with flashcards and multiple choice questions, each with hints and explanations. Prepare effectively for your assessment!

The correct answer is true. When a cell approaches a surface, it indeed experiences a combination of attractive and repulsive forces. The types of interactions present include:

  1. Steric stabilization force: This occurs when molecules on the surface of the material create a physical barrier that can prevent cells from getting too close, thus acting as a repulsive force.
  1. Electrostatic force: Cells often have a net charge (due to their surface proteins and membranes), which can interact with charged surfaces. Depending on the nature of these charges, electrostatic interactions can either attract or repel the cell.

  2. Van der Waals forces: These are weak attractive forces that occur between all molecules, including cells and surfaces, contributing to the attractive forces that promote cell adhesion.

The interplay of these forces is crucial in tissue engineering, as they influence how cells interact with biomaterials, which ultimately affects cell behavior such as adhesion, migration, and proliferation. Understanding these forces is essential for designing scaffolds and surfaces that can promote desired cellular responses in tissue engineering applications.

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