title: X-Ray Micro- and Nanodiffraction Imaging on Human Mesenchymal Stem Cells and Differentiated Cells.
abstract: Adult human mesenchymal stem cells show structural rearrangements of their cytoskeletal network during mechanically induced differentiation toward various cell types. In particular, the alignment of acto-myosin fibers is cell fate-dependent and can serve as an early morphological marker of differentiation. Quantification of such nanostructures on a mesoscopic scale requires high-resolution imaging techniques. Here, we use small- angle x-ray scattering with a spot size in the micro- and submicrometer range as a high-resolution and label-free imaging technique to reveal structural details of stem cells and differentiated cell types. We include principal component analysis into an automated empirical analysis scheme that allows the local characterization of oriented structures. Results on freeze-dried samples lead to quantitative structural information for all cell lines tested: differentiated cells reveal pronounced structural orientation and a relatively intense overall diffraction signal, whereas naive human mesenchymal stem cells lack these features. Our data support the hypothesis of stem cells establishing ordered structures along their differentiation process.
authors: Institut für Röntgenphysik, Georg-August-Universität Göttingen, Göttingen, Germany.
authors: Marten
authors: M
authors: Bernhardt
authors: Institut für Röntgenphysik, Georg-August-Universität Göttingen, Göttingen, Germany.
authors: Marius
authors: M
authors: Priebe
authors: Institut für Röntgenphysik, Georg-August-Universität Göttingen, Göttingen, Germany.
authors: Markus
authors: M
authors: Osterhoff
authors: Drittes Physikalisches Institut - Biophysik, Georg-August-Universität Göttingen, Göttingen, Germany.
authors: Carina
authors: C
authors: Wollnik
authors: Paul Scherrer Institut, Villigen, Switzerland.
authors: Ana
authors: A
authors: Diaz
authors: Institut für Röntgenphysik, Georg-August-Universität Göttingen, Göttingen, Germany. Electronic address: tsaldit@gwdg.de.
authors: Tim
authors: T
authors: Salditt
authors: Drittes Physikalisches Institut - Biophysik, Georg-August-Universität Göttingen, Göttingen, Germany. Electronic address: florian.rehfeldt@phys.uni-goettingen.de.
authors: Florian
authors: F
authors: Rehfeldt
mesh_terms: D002454:Cell Differentiation; D002460:Cell Line; D006801:Humans; D059630:Mesenchymal Stem Cells / Q000166:cytology / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D008852:Microradiography / Q000379:methods; D014961:X-Ray Diffraction