Work

Anisotropically Stiff 3D Micropillar Niche Induces Extraordinary Cell Alignment and Elongation

Year: 2016

Type: article

Abstract: A microfabricated pillar substrate is developed to confine, align, and elongate cells, allowing decoupled analysis of stiffness and directionality in 3D. Mesenchymal stem cells and cardiomyocytes are successfully confined in a 3D environment with precisely tunable stiffness anisotropy. It is discovered that anisotropically stiff micropillar substrates provide cellular confinement in 3D, aligning cells in the stiffer direction with extraordinary elongation.

Source: Advanced Healthcare Materials

DOI: 10.1002/adhm.201600096

Authors: Yunus Alapan, Mousa Younesi, Ozan Akkus, Umut A. Gurkan

Institutions: Case Western Reserve University, Louis Stokes Cleveland VA Medical Center

Language: English

Topic: Cellular Mechanics and Interactions

Subfield: Cell Biology

Field: Biochemistry, Genetics and Molecular Biology

Domain: Life Sciences

Open Access status: green

Funders: National Science Foundation, Doris Duke Charitable Foundation, National Institutes of Health, National Institute of Arthritis and Musculoskeletal and Skin Diseases

Awards: Biomimetic Tissue Analogs via Micropatterned Deposition of Proteins, Tendon Tissue Engineering by Electrochemically Aligned Collagen Bioscaffolds, G8127033312