The extracellular matrix provides structural components that support the development of tissue morphology and the distribution of growth factors that modulate the overall cellular response to those growth factors. The ability to manipulate the presentation of factors in culture systems should provide an additional degree of control in regulating the stimulation of factor-dependent cells for tissue engineering applications. Cellulose binding domain (CBD) fusion protein technology facilitates the binding of bioactive cytokines to cellulose materials, and has permitted the analysis of several aspects of cell stimulation by surf ace-localized growth factors. We previously reported the synthesis and initial characterization of a fusion protein comprised of a CBD and murine stem cell factor (SCF) (Doheny et al. [1999] Biochem J 339:429-434). A significant advantage of the CBD fusion protein system is that it permits the stimulation of factor-dependent cells with localized growth factor, essentially free of nonfactor-derived interactions between the cell and matrix. In this work, the long-term stability and bioactivity of SCF-CBD fusions adsorbed to microcrystal line cellulose under cell culture conditions is demonstrated. Cellulose-bound SCF-CBD is shown to stimulate receptor polarization in the cell membrane and adherence to the cellulose matrix. In addition, cell ulose-surf ace presentation of the SCF-CBD attenuates c-kit dephosphorylation kinetics, potentially modulating the overall response of the cell to the SCF signal. (C) 2005 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.