title: Effect of matrix stiffness on osteoblast functionalization.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Stiffness of bone tissue differs response to its physiological or pathological status, such as osteoporosis or osteosclerosis. Consequently, the function of cells residing in bone tissue including osteoblasts (OBs), osteoclasts and osteocytes will be affected. However, to the best of our knowledge, the detailed mechanism of how extracellular matrix stiffness affects OB function remains unclear.
  
  
  METHODS
  We conducted a study that exposed rat primary OBs to polydimethylsiloxane substrates with varied stiffness to investigate the alterations of cell morphology, osteoblastic differentiation and its potential mechanism in mechanotransduction.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Distinctive differences of cell shapes and vinculin expression in rat osteoblasts were detected on different PDMS substrates. As representatives for OB function, expression of alkaline phosphatase, Runx2 and osteocalcin were identified and showed a decrease trend as substrates become soft, which is associated with the Rho/ROCK signalling pathway.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Our results indicated substrate elasticity as a potent regulator in OBs functionalization, which may pave a way for further understanding of bone diseases as well as a potential therapeutic alternative in tissue regeneration.
authors.affiliation: State Key Laboratory of Oral Diseases, West China Hospital of Stomatology, Sichuan University, Chengdu, China.
authors.forename: Tao
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.affiliation: State Key Laboratory of Oral Diseases, West China Hospital of Stomatology, Sichuan University, Chengdu, China.
authors.forename: Shiyu
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Lin
authors.affiliation: State Key Laboratory of Oral Diseases, West China Hospital of Stomatology, Sichuan University, Chengdu, China.
authors.forename: Xiaoru
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Shao
authors.affiliation: State Key Laboratory of Oral Diseases, West China Hospital of Stomatology, Sichuan University, Chengdu, China.
authors.forename: Qi
authors.initials: Q
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.affiliation: State Key Laboratory of Oral Diseases, West China Hospital of Stomatology, Sichuan University, Chengdu, China.
authors.forename: Changyue
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Xue
authors.affiliation: State Key Laboratory of Oral Diseases, West China Hospital of Stomatology, Sichuan University, Chengdu, China.
authors.forename: Shu
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.affiliation: State Key Laboratory of Oral Diseases, West China Hospital of Stomatology, Sichuan University, Chengdu, China.
authors.forename: Yunfeng
authors.identifier: http://orcid.org/0000-0003-1224-6561
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Lin
authors.affiliation: Key Laboratory of Shaanxi Province for Craniofacial Precision Medicine Research, College of Stomatology, Xi'an Jiaotong University, Xian, Shanxi, China.|Clinical Research Center of Shaanxi Province for Dental and Maxillofacial Diseases, College of Stomatology, Xi'an Jiaotong University, Xian, Shanxi, China.
authors.forename: Bofeng
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Zhu
authors.affiliation: State Key Laboratory of Oral Diseases, West China Hospital of Stomatology, Sichuan University, Chengdu, China.
authors.forename: Xiaoxiao
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Cai
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D002454:Cell Differentiation; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D005109:Extracellular Matrix / Q000378:metabolism*; D010006:Osteoblasts / Q000166:cytology / Q000502:physiology*; D051381:Rats
keywords: extracellular matrix; mechanotransduction; osteoblasts; substrate stiffness