Photopatterned Hydrogels to Investigate the Endothelial Cell Response to Matrix Stiffness Heterogeneity

Document Type

Article

Publication Date

11-13-2017

Abstract

Age-related intimal stiffening is associated with increased endothelium permeability, an initiating step in atherosclerosis. Notably, in addition to a bulk increase in matrix stiffness, the aged intima also exhibits increased spatial stiffness heterogeneity. We investigate the effect of heterogeneous matrix stiffness on endothelial cells. Methacrylated hyaluronic acid hydrogels are fabricated and photopatterned to create substrates with 50-and 100 μm squares containing soft and stiff matrix regions of 2.7 ± 0.7 and 10.3 ± 3.9 kPa. On the patterned matrices, endothelial cells integrate subcellular matrix stiffness cues at stiffness interfaces, and focal adhesions are increased in the cell body adhered to stiff matrix regions. Increased matrix stiffness heterogeneity disrupts cell-cell junctions in confluent endothelial monolayers. Together, this work indicates that the spatial presentation of matrix mechanical cues, in addition to bulk substrate compliance, play a role in governing endothelial single cell and monolayer behaviors.

Identifier

85026306698 (Scopus)

Publication Title

ACS Biomaterials Science and Engineering

External Full Text Location

https://doi.org/10.1021/acsbiomaterials.6b00633

e-ISSN

23739878

First Page

3007

Last Page

3016

Issue

11

Volume

3

Grant

DMR-1120296

Fund Ref

National Science Foundation

This document is currently not available here.

Share

COinS