The alignment and fusion assembly of adipose-derived stem cells on mechanically patterned matrices.
Cell patterning is typically accomplished by selectively depositing proteins for cell adhesion only on patterned regions; however in tissues, cells are also influenced by mechanical stimuli, which can also result in patterned arrangements of cells. We developed a mechanically-patterned hydrogel to observe and compare it to extracellular matrix (ECM) ligand patterns to determine how to best regulate and improve cell type-specific behaviors. Ligand-based patterning on hydrogels was not robust over prolonged culture, but cells on mechanically-patterned hydrogels differentially sorted based on stiffness preference: myocytes and adipose-derived stem cells (ASCs) underwent stiffness-mediated migration, i.e. durotaxis, and remained on myogenic hydrogel regions. Myocytes developed aligned striations and fused on myogenic stripes of the mechanically-patterned hydrogel. ASCs aligned and underwent myogenesis, but their fusion rate increased, as did the number of cells fusing into a myotube as a result of their alignment. Conversely, neuronal cells did not exhibit durotaxis and could be seen on soft regions of the hydrogel for prolonged culture time. These results suggest that mechanically-patterned hydrogels could provide a platform to create tissue engineered, innervated micro-muscles of neural and muscle phenotypes juxtaposed next to each other in order better recreate a muscle niche.
Departments of Bioengineering, University of California, San Diego, CA 92093, USA.
Yu Suk
YS
Choi
Ludovic G
LG
Vincent
Andrew R
AR
Lee
Kyle C
KC
Kretchmer
Somyot
S
Chirasatitsin
Marek K
MK
Dobke
Adam J
AJ
Engler
D000273:Adipose Tissue / Q000166:cytology*; D000328:Adult; D000818:Animals; D001672:Biocompatible Materials / Q000737:chemistry*; D018929:Cell Culture Techniques / Q000379:methods*; D002454:Cell Differentiation; D019070:Cell Lineage; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D002645:Chickens; D006801:Humans; D020136:Hydrogel, Polyethylene Glycol Dimethacrylate; D020100:Hydrogels / Q000737:chemistry; D051379:Mice; D032342:Muscle Cells / Q000166:cytology; D018485:Muscle Fibers, Skeletal / Q000166:cytology*; D009132:Muscles / Q000166:cytology; D009474:Neurons / Q000378:metabolism; D010641:Phenotype; D013234:Stem Cells / Q000166:cytology*
D001672:Biocompatible Materials; D020100:Hydrogels; D020136:Hydrogel, Polyethylene Glycol Dimethacrylate