Ultrashort peptides that spontaneously form intricate scaffolds are helping scientists understand how cells respond and adapt to three-dimensional environments that closely resemble the natural settings of our bodies.

Developed by bioengineer Charlotte Hauser and her colleagues at KAUST, these self-assembling peptides give rise to a jelly-like framework that mimics the shape and mechanical properties of the extracellular matrix, the foundational support structure for cells.

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