Hydrogel substrate stress-relaxation regulates the spreading and proliferation of mouse myoblasts.

ABSTRACT: Mechanical properties of the extracellular microenvironment are known to alter cellular behavior, such as spreading, proliferation or differentiation. Previous studies have primarily focused on studying the effect of matrix stiffness on cells using hydrogel substrates that exhibit purely elastic behavior. However, these studies have neglected a key property exhibited by the extracellular matrix (ECM) and various tissues; viscoelasticity and subsequent stress-relaxation. As muscle exhibits viscoelasticity, stress-relaxation could regulate myoblast behavior such as spreading and proliferation, but this has not been previously studied. In order to test the impact of stress relaxation on myoblasts, we created a set of two-dimensional RGD-modified alginate hydrogel substrates with varying initi

SUBMITTER: Bauer A 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC5641979 | biostudies-literature | 2017 Oct

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature