title: The Use of Polyacrylamide Hydrogels to Study the Effects of Matrix Stiffness on Nuclear Envelope Properties.
abstract: Matrix-derived mechanical cues influence cell proliferation, motility, and differentiation. Recent findings clearly demonstrate that the nuclear envelope (NE) adapts and remodels in response to mechanical signals, including matrix stiffness, yet a plethora of studies have been performed on tissue culture plastic or glass that have a similar stiffness to cortical bone. Using methods that allow modulation of matrix stiffness will provide further insight into the role of the NE in physiological conditions and the impact of changes in stiffness observed during ageing and disease on cellular function. In this chapter, we describe the polyacrylamide hydrogel system, which allows fabrication of hydrogels with variable stiffness to better mimic the environment experienced by cells in most tissues of the body.
authors.affiliation: British Heart Foundation Centre of Research Excellence, Cardiovascular Division, James Black Centre, King's College London, London, SE5 9NU, UK.
authors.forename: Rose-Marie
authors.initials: RM
authors.lastname: Minaisah
authors.affiliation: Randall Division of Cell and Molecular Biophysics, New Hunt's House, King's College London, London, SE1 1UL, UK.
authors.forename: Susan
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Cox
authors.affiliation: British Heart Foundation Centre of Research Excellence, Cardiovascular Division, James Black Centre, King's College London, London, SE5 9NU, UK. derek.warren@kcl.ac.uk.
authors.forename: Derek T
authors.initials: DT
authors.lastname: Warren
mesh_terms: D000180:Acrylic Resins; D005109:Extracellular Matrix / Q000378:metabolism*; D005347:Fibroblasts / Q000378:metabolism; D020100:Hydrogels; D040542:Mechanotransduction, Cellular; D018625:Microscopy, Atomic Force / Q000379:methods; D032389:Myocytes, Smooth Muscle / Q000378:metabolism; D009685:Nuclear Envelope / Q000378:metabolism*
chemical_list: D000180:Acrylic Resins; D020100:Hydrogels; C016680:polyacrylamide gels
keywords: Extracellular matrix and stiffness; Hydrogels; Mechanotransduction