Hivare, PravinPravinHivareGangrade, AnkitAnkitGangradeSwarup, GitanjaliGitanjaliSwarupBhavsar, KrishnaKrishnaBhavsarSingh, AnkurAnkurSinghGupta, RatnikaRatnikaGuptaThareja, PrachiPrachiTharejaGupta, SharadSharadGuptaBhatia, DhirajDhirajBhatia2025-08-312025-08-312022-05-1810.1039/d1nr07187d2-s2.0-85132337894http://repository.iitgn.ac.in/handle/IITG2025/2607635687044Designing programmable biomaterials that could act as extracellular matrices and permit functionalization is a current need for tissue engineering advancement. DNA based hydrogels are gaining significant attention owing to their self-assembling properties, biocompatibility, chemical robustness and low batch to batch variability. The real potential of DNA hydrogels in the biomedical domain remains to be explored. In this work, a DNA hydrogel was coated on a glass surface and coupled to a synthetic IKVAV peptide by a chemical crosslinker. We observe enhanced neuronal differentiation, prolonged neurite length, dynamic movement of microtubules and cytoskeleton, and altered endocytic mechanisms in neuroblastoma-based stem cells for the peptide modified DNA hydrogel compared to the unmodified DNA hydrogel and controls. We anticipate that a peptide-modified DNA hydrogel could emerge as a promising scaffold coating material to develop nerve tissue conduits in the future for application in neuroscience and neuroregeneration.falseArticle204033728611-862018 May 202230arJournal35WOS:000809622400001