title: Hydrogel substrate stiffness and topography interact to induce contact guidance in cardiac fibroblasts.
abstract: Previous studies demonstrated the importance of substrate stiffness and topography on the phenotype of many different cell types including fibroblasts. Yet the interaction of these two physical parameters remains insufficiently characterized, in particular for cardiac fibroblasts. Most studies focusing on contact guidance use rigid patterned substrates. It is not known how the ability of cardiac fibroblasts to follow grooves and ridges changes as the substrate stiffness is decreased to match the range of stiffness found in native heart tissues. This report demonstrates a significant interactive effect of substrate stiffness and topography on cardiac fibroblast elongation and orientation using polyacrylamide substrates of different stiffness and topography.
authors.affiliation: Institute of Biomaterials and Biomedical Engineering, University of Toronto, 164 College St, M5S 3G9 Toronto, Ontario, Canada.
authors.forename: Shahed
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Al-Haque
authors.forename: Jason W
authors.initials: JW
authors.lastname: Miklas
authors.forename: Nicole
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Feric
authors.forename: Loraine L Y
authors.initials: LL
authors.lastname: Chiu
authors.forename: Wen Li Kelly
authors.initials: WL
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.forename: Craig A
authors.initials: CA
authors.lastname: Simmons
authors.forename: Milica
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Radisic
mesh_terms: D000180:Acrylic Resins / Q000138:chemical synthesis* / Q000494:pharmacology; D000818:Animals; D000831:Animals, Newborn; D001672:Biocompatible Materials / Q000138:chemical synthesis* / Q000494:pharmacology; D002470:Cell Survival / Q000187:drug effects; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D003094:Collagen / Q000737:chemistry*; D004548:Elasticity; D005347:Fibroblasts / Q000166:cytology* / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology; D006576:Heterocyclic Compounds, 4 or More Rings / Q000494:pharmacology; D020100:Hydrogels; D008855:Microscopy, Electron, Scanning; D009206:Myocardium / Q000166:cytology; D051381:Rats; D013499:Surface Properties; D023822:Tissue Engineering; D054457:Tissue Scaffolds; D000099166:Polyacrylamides
chemical_list: D000180:Acrylic Resins; D001672:Biocompatible Materials; D003094:Collagen; D006576:Heterocyclic Compounds, 4 or More Rings; D020100:Hydrogels; D000099166:Polyacrylamides; C472645:blebbistatin