Shape-Morphing Photoresponsive Hydrogels Reveal Dynamic Topographical Conditioning of Fibroblasts.

ABSTRACT: The extracellular environment defines a physical boundary condition with which cells interact. However, to date, cell response to geometrical environmental cues is largely studied in static settings, which fails to capture the spatiotemporally varying cues cells receive in native tissues. Here, a photoresponsive spiropyran-based hydrogel is presented as a dynamic, cell-compatible, and reconfigurable substrate. Local stimulation with blue light (455 nm) alters hydrogel swelling, resulting in on-demand reversible micrometer-scale changes in surface topography within 15 min, allowing investigation into cell response to controlled geometry actuations. At short term (1 h after actuation), fibroblasts respond to multiple rounds of recurring topographical changes by reorganizing their nucleus and

SUBMITTER: Bril M 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC10625123 | biostudies-literature | 2023 Nov

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature