Collagen Gels with Different Fibrillar Microarchitectures Elicit Different Cellular Responses.

ABSTRACT: The extracellular matrix consists of a complex mixture of fibrillar proteins, in which the architecture and mechanical properties of the protein fibrils vary considerably in various tissues. Here, we systematically polymerized collagen gels at different temperatures, providing substrates with tunable mechanics and defined local microarchitecture. We studied the dependence of spreading dynamics, proliferation, migration, and differentiation of human mesenchymal stem cells (hMSCs) on the fibrillar properties as compared to the bulk properties of the matrix. We found that high fiber stiffness, together with shorter fiber lengths, limited the transfer of cellular traction forces to nearby fibers. As a result, cells were not able to build up sufficient tension, which suppressed cell spreading,

SUBMITTER: Xie J 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC5473018 | biostudies-literature | 2017 Jun

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature