title: Artificial Slanted Nanocilia Array as a Mechanotransducer for Controlling Cell Polarity.
abstract: We present a method to induce cell directional behavior using slanted nanocilia arrays. NIH-3T3 fibroblasts demonstrated bidirectional polarization in a rectangular arrangement on vertical nanocilia arrays and exhibited a transition from a bidirectional to a unidirectional polarization pattern when the angle of the nanocilia was decreased from 90° to 30°. The slanted nanocilia guided and facilitated spreading by allowing the cells to contact the sidewalls of the nanocilia, and the directional migration of the cells opposed the direction of the slant due to the anisotropic bending stiffness of the slanted nanocilia. Although the cells recognized the underlying anisotropic geometry when the nanocilia were coated with fibronectin, collagen type I, and Matrigel, the cells lost their directionality when the nanocilia were coated with poly-d-lysine and poly-l-lysine. Furthermore, although the cells recognized geometrical anisotropy on fibronectin coatings, pharmacological perturbation of PI3K-Rac signaling hindered the directional elongation of the cells on both the slanted and vertical nanocilia. Furthermore, myosin light chain II was required for the cells to obtain polarized morphologies. These results indicated that the slanted nanocilia array provided anisotropic contact guidance cues to the interacting cells. The polarization of cells was controlled through two steps: the recognition of underlying geometrical anisotropy and the subsequent directional spreading according to the guidance cues.
authors.affiliation: Center for BioMicrosystems, Brain Science Institute, Korea Institute of Science and Technology (KIST) , Seoul 136-791, Republic of Korea.
authors.forename: Hong Nam
authors.initials: HN
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.affiliation: Emulate Inc. , Boston, Massachusetts 02210, United States.
authors.forename: Kyung-Jin
authors.initials: KJ
authors.lastname: Jang
authors.affiliation: School of Chemical and Biological Engineering, Seoul National University , Seoul 151-742, Republic of Korea.
authors.forename: Jung-Youn
authors.initials: JY
authors.lastname: Shin
authors.affiliation: Department of Mechanical Engineering, Ajou University , Suwon 443-749, Republic of Korea.
authors.forename: Daeshik
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Kang
authors.affiliation: Department of Mechanical Engineering, Incheon National University , Incheon 406-772, Republic of Korea.
authors.forename: Sang Moon
authors.initials: SM
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.affiliation: Department of Bio and Brain Engineering, Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology (KAIST) , Daejeon 305-701, Republic of Korea.
authors.forename: Ilkyoo
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Koh
authors.affiliation: Department of Bio and Brain Engineering, Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology (KAIST) , Daejeon 305-701, Republic of Korea.
authors.forename: Yoonmi
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Hong
authors.affiliation: School of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering, Seoul National University , Seoul 151-742, Republic of Korea.
authors.forename: Segeun
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Jang
authors.affiliation: School of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering, Seoul National University , Seoul 151-742, Republic of Korea.
authors.forename: Min Sung
authors.initials: MS
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.affiliation: School of Chemical and Biological Engineering, Seoul National University , Seoul 151-742, Republic of Korea.
authors.forename: Byung-Soo
authors.initials: BS
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.affiliation: Department of Mechanical Engineering, Ulsan National Institute of Science and Technology (UNIST) , Ulsan 689-798, Republic of Korea.
authors.forename: Hoon Eui
authors.initials: HE
authors.lastname: Jeong
authors.affiliation: School of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering, Seoul National University , Seoul 151-742, Republic of Korea.
authors.forename: Noo Li
authors.initials: NL
authors.lastname: Jeon
authors.affiliation: Department of Bio and Brain Engineering, Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology (KAIST) , Daejeon 305-701, Republic of Korea.
authors.forename: Pilnam
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.affiliation: School of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering, Seoul National University , Seoul 151-742, Republic of Korea.
authors.forename: Kahp-Yang
authors.initials: KY
authors.lastname: Suh
keywords: anisotropy; nanocilia; polarization; slanted angle; unidirectional