Synthetic fibrous hydrogels as a platform to decipher cell-matrix mechanical interactions
Yuan, H.; Liu, K.; Condor, M.; Barrasa-Fano, J.; Louis, B.; Vandaele, J.; de Almeida, P.; Coucke, Q.; Chen, W.; Oosterwijk, E.; Xing, C.; Van Oosterwyck, H.; Kouwer, P. H. J.; Rocha, S.
Show abstract
The interactions between cells and their direct environment are crucial for cell fate but biochemically and mechanically highly complex, and therefore, poorly understood. Despite recent advances that exposed the impact of a range of different factors, real progress remains challenging, since appropriate controllable matrices and quantitative analysis techniques that cover a range of time and length scales are unavailable. Here, we use a synthetic fibrous hydrogel with nonlinear mechanics to mimic and tailor the bi-directional cell-matrix interactions. Using advanced microscopy-based approaches, we acquire a comprehensive picture of how cellular traction forces, fiber remodeling, matrix stiffening, matrix properties and cellular behavior interact, highlighting for instance, the importance of a fibrous architecture and nonlinear mechanics of the matrix. Complete mapping of cell-matrix interactions at the cellular length scale provides indispensable information for the rational design of biomimetic materials to recreate realistic in vitro cell environments.
Matching journals
The top 7 journals account for 50% of the predicted probability mass.
Similar papers in this journal
- 3D bioprinting of high cell-density heterogeneous tissue models through spheroid fusion within self-healing hydrogels 98%
- Mapping cellular-scale internal stiffness in 3D tissues with smart material hydrogel probes 97%
- Light-sheet photonic force optical coherence elastography for high-throughput quantitative 3D micromechanical imaging 96%
Similar papers in this journal
- Extracellular Matrix Physical Properties Regulate Cancer Cell Morphological Transitions in 3D Hydrogel Microtissues 97%
- Invasive cancer cells soften collagen networks and disrupt stress-stiffening via volume exclusion, contractility and adhesion 97%
- Fiber density and matrix stiffness modulate distinct cell migration modes in a 3D stroma mimetic composite hydrogel 96%
Similar papers in this journal
"Similar papers" are the closest papers from that journal in the model's embedding space. They show what the match is built on, but the ranking comes mostly from a classifier over the whole training set, not from these examples alone.