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Figure Graph: Figure 2 (a) Magnetic field application in a collagen gel. (b) Under a high magnetic field along y axis and without rotation, collagen fibers perpendicularly align against magnetic field (xz plan). Magnetic Field Alignment, a Perspective in the Engineering of Collagen-Silica Composite Biomaterials. [Extracted from the article]

Major progress in the field of regenerative medicine is expected from the design of artificial scaffolds that mimic both the structural and functional properties of the ECM. The bionanocomposites approach is particularly well fitted to meet this challenge as it can combine ECM-based matrices and colloidal carriers of biological cues that regulate cell behavior. Here we have prepared bionanocomposites under high magnetic field from tilapia fish scale collagen and multifunctional silica nanoparticles (SiNPs). We show that scaffolding cues (collagen), multiple display of signaling peptides (SiNPs) and control over the global structuration (magnetic field) can be combined into a unique bionanocomposite for the engineering of biomaterials with improved cell performances. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]