Compositions of the invention include composites comprising a biomaterial having compounds thereon with enhanced cell binding with respect to collagen. These composites are useful for soft and hard tissue repair or reconstruction and for in vitro uses. Suitable compounds with enhanced cell binding include synthetic peptides that mimic the conformation necessary for recognition and docking of collagen binding species (such as cell surface receptors for collagen and fibronectin) and have the amino acid residues -Ile-Ala-folded in a .beta.-bend.