Topographic confinement of epithelial clusters induces epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition in compliant matrices.

ABSTRACT: Epithelial cells disengage from their clusters and become motile by undergoing epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition (EMT), an essential process for both embryonic development and tumor metastasis. Growing evidence suggests that high extracellular matrix (ECM) stiffness induces EMT. In reality, epithelial clusters reside in a heterogeneous microenvironment whose mechanical properties vary not only in terms of stiffness, but also topography, dimensionality, and confinement. Yet, very little is known about how various geometrical parameters of the ECM might influence EMT. Here, we adapt a hydrogel-microchannels based matrix platform to culture mammary epithelial cell clusters in ECMs of tunable stiffness and confinement. We report a previously unidentified role of ECM confinement in EMT induc

SUBMITTER: Nasrollahi S 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC4700414 | biostudies-literature | 2016 Jan

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature