Cell adhesive behavior on thin polyelectrolyte multilayers: cells attempt to achieve homeostasis of its adhesion energy.
Linearly growing ultrathin polyelectrolyte multilayer (PEM) films of strong polyelectrolytes, poly(diallyldimethylammonium chloride) (PDAC), and sulfonated polystyrene, sodium salt (SPS) exhibit a gradual shift from cytophilic to cytophobic behavior, with increasing thickness for films of less than 100 nm. Previous explanations based on film hydration, swelling, and changes in the elastic modulus cannot account for the cytophobicity observed with these thin films as the number of bilayers increases. We implemented a finite element analysis to help elucidate the observed trends in cell spreading. The simulation results suggest that cells maintain a constant level of energy consumption (energy homeostasis) during active probing and thus respond to changes in the film stiffness as the film thickness increases by adjusting their morphology and the number of focal adhesions recruited and thereby their attachment to a substrate.
Mehrotra
Sumit
S
Department of Chemical Engineering and Materials Science, Michigan State University, East Lansing, Michigan 48824, USA.
Hunley
S Christopher
SC
Pawelec
Kendell M
KM
Zhang
Linxia
L
Lee
Ilsoon
I
Baek
Seungik
S
Chan
Christina
C
D000818:Animals; D002448:Cell Adhesion / Q000187:drug effects; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D005260:Female; D022001:Focal Adhesions / Q000187:drug effects; D008567:Membranes, Artificial; D059630:Mesenchymal Stem Cells / Q000166:cytology / Q000187:drug effects; D051379:Mice; D018613:Microscopy, Confocal; D008962:Models, Theoretical; D041681:NIH 3T3 Cells; D011095:Polyethylenes / Q000737:chemistry; D011108:Polymers / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000494:pharmacology; D011137:Polystyrenes / Q000737:chemistry; D000644:Quaternary Ammonium Compounds / Q000737:chemistry; D051381:Rats
D008567:Membranes, Artificial; D011095:Polyethylenes; D011108:Polymers; D011137:Polystyrenes; D000644:Quaternary Ammonium Compounds; C041004:poly-N,N-dimethyl-N,N-diallylammonium chloride; C003321:polystyrene sulfonic acid