title: Cell self-patterning on uniform PDMS-surfaces with controlled mechanical cues.
abstract: The exploitation of cell-instructive scaffolds with uniform physical/chemical surfaces and controlled stiffness will be greatly useful in tissue engineering applications to resemble the extracellular matrix (ECM) or topographical appearance of native tissues. We herein describe a versatile and straightforward method to assemble a polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS)-composite structure in which a uniformly laminin-coated membrane is placed on top of a micropatterned substrate that applies a stiffness gradient. This 'double-sheet' structure provides soft or stiff microdomains that guide the self-patterning of different cell types [e.g. chronic myeloid leukemia (KU812), cervix carcinoma (HeLa), NIH 3T3 and BJ], thereby stimulating their cytoskeletal remodeling. More interestingly, we used these uniform PDMS surfaces with patterned rigidity for obtaining co-cultures of tumor blood cells (KU812) and adherent fibroblasts (NIH 3T3) with spatially-controlled distribution. Thus, beyond single-cell stiffening and mechanosensing, these surfaces should also be used as simple and feasible co-culture systems for mimicking and dissecting the bidirectional interactions between blood cells and specific stromal elements of their in vivo microenvironment.
authors.affiliation: NNL, Institute of Nanoscience CNR, Via Arnesano, 73100 Lecce, Italy. ilaria.palama@unisalento.it
authors.forename: Ilaria E
authors.initials: IE
authors.lastname: Palamà
authors.forename: Stefania
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: D'Amone
authors.forename: Addolorata M L
authors.initials: AM
authors.lastname: Coluccia
authors.forename: Mariano
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Biasiucci
authors.forename: Giuseppe
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Gigli
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001672:Biocompatible Materials / Q000737:chemistry*; D015153:Blotting, Western; D002470:Cell Survival / Q000187:drug effects; D018920:Coculture Techniques; D004129:Dimethylpolysiloxanes / Q000737:chemistry*; D005109:Extracellular Matrix / Q000737:chemistry*; D006367:HeLa Cells; D006801:Humans; D007797:Laminin / Q000737:chemistry*; D051379:Mice; D018625:Microscopy, Atomic Force; D008855:Microscopy, Electron, Scanning; D041681:NIH 3T3 Cells; D023822:Tissue Engineering / Q000379:methods*
chemical_list: D001672:Biocompatible Materials; D004129:Dimethylpolysiloxanes; D007797:Laminin