The modulation of endothelial cell morphology, function, and survival using anisotropic nanofibrillar collagen scaffolds.

ABSTRACT: Endothelial cells (ECs) are aligned longitudinally under laminar flow, whereas they are polygonal and poorly aligned in regions of disturbed flow. The unaligned ECs in disturbed flow fields manifest altered function and reduced survival that promote lesion formation. We demonstrate that the alignment of the ECs may directly influence their biology, independent of fluid flow. We developed aligned nanofibrillar collagen scaffolds that mimic the structure of collagen bundles in blood vessels, and examined the effects of these materials on EC alignment, function, and in vivo survival. ECs cultured on 30-nm diameter aligned fibrils re-organized their F-actin along the nanofibril direction, and were 50% less adhesive for monocytes than the ECs grown on randomly oriented fibrils. After EC transpl

SUBMITTER: Huang NF 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC3695739 | biostudies-literature | 2013 May

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature