title: Bio-Inspired Mechanotactic Hybrids for Orchestrating Traction-Mediated Epithelial Migration.
abstract: A platform of mechanotactic hybrids is established by projecting lateral gradients of apparent interfacial stiffness onto the planar surface of a compliant hydrogel layer using an underlying rigid substrate with microstructures inherited from 3D printed molds. Using this platform, the mechanistic coupling of epithelial migration with the stiffness of the extracellular matrix (ECM) is found to be independent of the interfacial compositional and topographical cues.
authors.affiliation: School of Materials Science and Engineering, Nanyang Technological University, 50 Nanyang Avenue, Singapore, 639798, Singapore.
authors.forename: Pingqiang
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Cai
authors.affiliation: Casali Center, Institute of Chemistry, Centre for Nanoscience and Nanotechnology, The Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Edmond J. Safra Campus, Givat Ram, Jerusalem, 91904, Israel.
authors.forename: Michael
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Layani
authors.affiliation: School of Materials Science and Engineering, Nanyang Technological University, 50 Nanyang Avenue, Singapore, 639798, Singapore.
authors.forename: Wan Ru
authors.initials: WR
authors.lastname: Leow
authors.affiliation: School of Materials Science and Engineering, Nanyang Technological University, 50 Nanyang Avenue, Singapore, 639798, Singapore.
authors.forename: Shahrouz
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Amini
authors.affiliation: School of Materials Science and Engineering, Nanyang Technological University, 50 Nanyang Avenue, Singapore, 639798, Singapore.
authors.forename: Zhiyuan
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Liu
authors.affiliation: School of Materials Science and Engineering, Nanyang Technological University, 50 Nanyang Avenue, Singapore, 639798, Singapore.
authors.forename: Dianpeng
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Qi
authors.affiliation: School of Materials Science and Engineering, Nanyang Technological University, 50 Nanyang Avenue, Singapore, 639798, Singapore.
authors.forename: Benhui
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Hu
authors.affiliation: School of Materials Science and Engineering, Nanyang Technological University, 50 Nanyang Avenue, Singapore, 639798, Singapore.
authors.forename: Yun-Long
authors.initials: YL
authors.lastname: Wu
authors.affiliation: School of Materials Science and Engineering, Nanyang Technological University, 50 Nanyang Avenue, Singapore, 639798, Singapore.
authors.forename: Ali
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Miserez
authors.affiliation: Casali Center, Institute of Chemistry, Centre for Nanoscience and Nanotechnology, The Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Edmond J. Safra Campus, Givat Ram, Jerusalem, 91904, Israel.
authors.forename: Shlomo
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Magdassi
authors.affiliation: School of Materials Science and Engineering, Nanyang Technological University, 50 Nanyang Avenue, Singapore, 639798, Singapore.
authors.forename: Xiaodong
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Chen
mesh_terms: D040761:Biomimetic Materials / Q000737:chemistry*; D002465:Cell Movement; D004847:Epithelial Cells / Q000166:cytology*; D005109:Extracellular Matrix / Q000737:chemistry*; D020100:Hydrogels / Q000737:chemistry*; D066330:Printing, Three-Dimensional; D014143:Traction / Q000379:methods*
chemical_list: D020100:Hydrogels
keywords: 3D printing; bio-inspired materials; collective cell migration; mechanotaxis; stiffness gradient