Substrate rigidity regulates the formation and maintenance of tissues.

ABSTRACT: The ability of cells to form tissues represents one of the most fundamental issues in biology. However, it is unclear what triggers cells to adhere to one another in tissues and to migrate once a piece of tissue is planted on culture surfaces. Using substrates of identical chemical composition but different flexibility, we show that this process is controlled by substrate rigidity: on stiff substrates, cells migrate away from one another and spread on surfaces, whereas on soft substrates they merge to form tissue-like structures. Similar behavior was observed not only with fibroblastic and epithelial cell lines but also explants from neonatal rat hearts. Cell compaction on soft substrates involves a combination of weakened adhesions to the substrate and myosin II-dependent contractile forc

SUBMITTER: Guo WH 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC1386800 | biostudies-literature | 2006 Mar

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature