Quantifying Cell-Derived Changes in Collagen Synthesis, Alignment, and Mechanics in a 3D Connective Tissue Model.

ABSTRACT: Dysregulation of extracellular matrix (ECM) synthesis, organization, and mechanics are hallmark features of diseases like fibrosis and cancer. However, most in vitro models fail to recapitulate the three-dimensional (3D) multi-scale hierarchical architecture of collagen-rich tissues and as a result, are unable to mirror native or disease phenotypes. Herein, using primary human fibroblasts seeded into custom fabricated 3D non-adhesive agarose molds, a novel strategy is proposed to direct the morphogenesis of engineered 3D ring-shaped tissue constructs with tensile and histological properties that recapitulate key features of fibrous connective tissue. To characterize the shift from monodispersed cells to a highly-aligned, collagen-rich matrix, a multi-modal approach integrating histology, m

SUBMITTER: Wilks BT 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC8981917 | biostudies-literature | 2022 Apr

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature