title: Pneumatic cell stretching system for cardiac differentiation and culture.
abstract: This paper introduces a compact mechanical stimulation device suitable for applications to study cellular mechanobiology. The pneumatically controlled device provides equiaxial strain for cells on a coated polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) membrane and enables real time observation of cells with an inverted microscope. This study presents the implementation and operation principles of the device and characterizes membrane stretching. Different coating materials are also analyzed on an unstretched membrane to optimize the cell attachment on PDMS. As a result, gelatin coating was selected for further experiments to demonstrate the function of the device and evaluate the effect of long-term cyclic equiaxial stretching on human pluripotent stem cells (hPSCs). Cardiac differentiation was induced with mouse visceral endoderm-like (END-2) cells, either on an unstretched membrane or with mechanical stretching. In conclusion, hPSCs grew well on the stretching platform and cardiac differentiation was induced. Thus, the platform provides a new possibility to study the effect of stretching on cellular properties including differentiation and stress induced cardiac diseases.
authors.affiliation: Department of Automation Science and Engineering, Tampere University of Technology, Korkeakoulunkatu 3, 33720 Tampere, Finland; BioMediTech, Biokatu 10, 33520, Tampere, Finland. Electronic address: joose.kreutzer@tut.fi.
authors.forename: Joose
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Kreutzer
authors.affiliation: Institute of Biomedical Technology, University of Tampere, Biokatu 12, FI-33014, Finland; BioMediTech, Biokatu 10, 33520, Tampere, Finland.
authors.forename: Liisa
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Ikonen
authors.affiliation: Department of Automation Science and Engineering, Tampere University of Technology, Korkeakoulunkatu 3, 33720 Tampere, Finland; BioMediTech, Biokatu 10, 33520, Tampere, Finland.
authors.forename: Juha
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Hirvonen
authors.affiliation: Institute of Biomedical Technology, University of Tampere, Biokatu 12, FI-33014, Finland; BioMediTech, Biokatu 10, 33520, Tampere, Finland.
authors.forename: Mari
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Pekkanen-Mattila
authors.affiliation: Institute of Biomedical Technology, University of Tampere, Biokatu 12, FI-33014, Finland; BioMediTech, Biokatu 10, 33520, Tampere, Finland; Heart Center, Tampere University Hospital, Biokatu 6, 33520 Tampere, Finland.
authors.forename: Katriina
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Aalto-Setälä
authors.affiliation: Department of Automation Science and Engineering, Tampere University of Technology, Korkeakoulunkatu 3, 33720 Tampere, Finland; BioMediTech, Biokatu 10, 33520, Tampere, Finland.
authors.forename: Pasi
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Kallio
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D002448:Cell Adhesion; D018929:Cell Culture Techniques; D002454:Cell Differentiation; D002460:Cell Line; D002468:Cell Physiological Phenomena; D002470:Cell Survival / Q000187:drug effects; D003470:Culture Media; D004129:Dimethylpolysiloxanes; D005780:Gelatin; D006801:Humans; D055595:Mechanical Phenomena; D008567:Membranes, Artificial; D051379:Mice; D032383:Myocytes, Cardiac / Q000166:cytology* / Q000502:physiology*; D010812:Physical Stimulation / Q000295:instrumentation*; D039904:Pluripotent Stem Cells / Q000166:cytology* / Q000502:physiology*; D013997:Time Factors
chemical_list: D003470:Culture Media; D004129:Dimethylpolysiloxanes; D008567:Membranes, Artificial; C013830:baysilon; D005780:Gelatin
keywords: Cardiomyocytes; Human embryonic stem cells; Human induced pluripotent stem cells; Mechanical stimulation; PDMS; Stretching