title: Dynamic Cellular Interactions with Extracellular Matrix Triggered by Biomechanical Tuning of Low-Rigidity, Supported Lipid Membranes.
abstract: The behavior of cells in a tissue is regulated by chemical as well as physical signals arising from their microenvironment. While gel-based substrates have been widely used for mimicking a range of substrate rigidities, there is a need for the development of low rigidity substrates for mimicking the physical properties of soft tissues. In this study, the authors report the development of a supported lipid bilayer (SLB)-based low rigidity substrate for cell adhesion studies. SLBs are functionalized with either collagen I or fibronectin via covalent, amine coupling to a carboxyl group-modified lipid molecule. While the lipid molecules in the bilayer show long-range lateral mobility, the covalently functionalized extracellular matrix (ECM) proteins are immobile on the bilayer surface. Specific adhesion of cells results in an enrichment of the protein on the bilayer and the appearance of a zone of depletion around the cells. Further, the lateral reorganization of the ECM proteins is controlled by altering the fluidity of lipid molecules in the substrate. Thus, the experimental platform developed in this study can be utilized for addressing basic questions related to cell adhesion on low rigidity substrates as well as biomedical applications requiring adhesion of cells to low rigidity substrates.
authors.affiliation: Centre for Biomimetic Sensor Science, Nanyang Technological University, 50 Nanyang Drive, 637553, Singapore, Singapore.|School of Materials Science and Engineering, Nanyang Technological University, 50 Nanyang Avenue, 639798, Singapore, Singapore.
authors.forename: Setareh
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Vafaei
authors.affiliation: Centre for Biomimetic Sensor Science, Nanyang Technological University, 50 Nanyang Drive, 637553, Singapore, Singapore.|School of Materials Science and Engineering, Nanyang Technological University, 50 Nanyang Avenue, 639798, Singapore, Singapore.
authors.forename: Seyed R
authors.initials: SR
authors.lastname: Tabaei
authors.affiliation: Mechanobiology Institute, National University of Singapore, 117411, Singapore, Singapore.
authors.forename: Kabir H
authors.initials: KH
authors.lastname: Biswas
authors.affiliation: Mechanobiology Institute, National University of Singapore, 117411, Singapore, Singapore.|Department of Chemistry, University of California, Berkeley, CA, 94720, USA.
authors.forename: Jay T
authors.initials: JT
authors.lastname: Groves
authors.affiliation: Centre for Biomimetic Sensor Science, Nanyang Technological University, 50 Nanyang Drive, 637553, Singapore, Singapore.|School of Materials Science and Engineering, Nanyang Technological University, 50 Nanyang Avenue, 639798, Singapore, Singapore.|School of Chemical and Biomedical Engineering, Nanyang Technological University, 62 Nanyang Drive, 637459, Singapore, Singapore.
authors.forename: Nam-Joon
authors.initials: NJ
authors.lastname: Cho
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001696:Biomechanical Phenomena; D002448:Cell Adhesion / Q000502:physiology; D005109:Extracellular Matrix / Q000737:chemistry*; D006801:Humans; D008051:Lipid Bilayers / Q000737:chemistry; D008563:Membrane Lipids / Q000737:chemistry*
chemical_list: D008051:Lipid Bilayers; D008563:Membrane Lipids
keywords: cell adhesion; extracellular matrix; membrane viscosity; supported lipid bilayer