title: Differential effects of substrate modulus on human vascular endothelial, smooth muscle, and fibroblastic cells.
abstract: Regenerative medicine approaches offer attractive alternatives to standard vascular reconstruction; however, the biomaterials to be used must have optimal biochemical and mechanical properties. To evaluate the effects of biomaterial properties on vascular cells, heparinized poly(ethylene glycol) (PEG)-based hydrogels of three different moduli, 13.7, 5.2, and 0.3 kPa, containing fibronectin and growth factor were utilized to support the growth of three human vascular cell types. The cell types exhibited differences in attachment, proliferation, and gene expression profiles associated with the hydrogel modulus. Human vascular smooth muscle cells demonstrated preferential attachment on the highest-modulus hydrogel, adventitial fibroblasts demonstrated preferential growth on the highest-modulus hydrogel, and human umbilical vein endothelial cells demonstrated preferential growth on the lowest-modulus hydrogel investigated. Our studies suggest that the growth of multiple vascular cell types can be supported by PEG hydrogels and that different populations can be controlled by altering the mechanical properties of biomaterials.
authors.affiliation: Tissue Engineering and Regenerative Medicine Laboratory, Nemours Biomedical Research, Alfred I. duPont Hospital for Children, Wilmington, Delaware 19803, USA.
authors.forename: Karyn G
authors.initials: KG
authors.lastname: Robinson
authors.forename: Ting
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Nie
authors.forename: Aaron D
authors.initials: AD
authors.lastname: Baldwin
authors.forename: Elaine C
authors.initials: EC
authors.lastname: Yang
authors.forename: Kristi L
authors.initials: KL
authors.lastname: Kiick
authors.forename: Robert E
authors.initials: RE
authors.lastname: Akins
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D002448:Cell Adhesion / Q000187:drug effects; D049109:Cell Proliferation / Q000187:drug effects; D048430:Cell Shape / Q000187:drug effects; D016000:Cluster Analysis; D055119:Elastic Modulus / Q000187:drug effects*; D005347:Fibroblasts / Q000166:cytology* / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism; D005786:Gene Expression Regulation / Q000187:drug effects; D061307:Human Umbilical Vein Endothelial Cells / Q000166:cytology* / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism; D006801:Humans; D020136:Hydrogel, Polyethylene Glycol Dimethacrylate / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000494:pharmacology*; D051379:Mice; D009131:Muscle, Smooth, Vascular / Q000166:cytology; D032389:Myocytes, Smooth Muscle / Q000166:cytology* / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism; D041681:NIH 3T3 Cells; D009991:Oscillometry; D012212:Rheology / Q000187:drug effects
chemical_list: D020136:Hydrogel, Polyethylene Glycol Dimethacrylate