Modulation of alignment, elongation and contraction of cardiomyocytes through a combination of nanotopography and rigidity of substrates

Enhancing mesenchymal stem cell response using uniaxially stretched poly(ε-caprolactone) film micropatterns for vascular tissue engineering application

Regeneration of tunica media with anisotropic architecture still remains a challenging issue for vascular tissue engineering (TE). Herein, we present the development of flexible poly(ε-caprolactone) (PCL) film micropatterns to regulate mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) function for tunica media construction. Results showed that uniaxial thermal stretching of PCL films resulted in topographical micropatterns comprising of ridges/grooves, and improved mechanical properties, including yield stress, Young's modulus, and fracture stress without sacrificing film elasticity. Culturing on such PCL film micropatterns, MSCs self-aligned along the ridges with a more elongated morphology as compared to that of the un-stretched film group. Moreover, MSCs obtained a contractile SMCs-like phenotype, with ordered organization of cellular stress filaments and upregulated expression of the contractile makers, including SM-α-actin, calponin, and SM-MHC. The PCL film micropatterns could be rolled into a small-diameter 3D tubular scaffold with circumferential anisotropy of ridges/grooves, and in the incorporation of MSCs, which facilitated a hybrid sandwich-like vascular wall construction with ordered cell architecture similar to that of the tunica media. These results provide insights of how geometric cues are able to regulate stem cells with desired functions and have significant implications for the designing of a functionalized vascular TE scaffold with appropriate topographical geometries for guiding tunica media regeneration with microscale control of cell alignment and genetic expression.

Three-dimensional extracellular matrix scaffolds by microfluidic fabrication for long-term spontaneously contracted cardiomyocyte culture

To repair damaged cardiac tissue, the important principle of in vitro cell culture is to mimic the in vivo cell growth environment. Thus, micro-sized cells are more suitably cultured in three-dimensional (3D) than in two-dimensional (2D) microenvironments (ex: culture dish). With the matching dimensions of works produced by microfluidic technology, chemical engineering and biochemistry applications have used this technology extensively in cellular works. The 3D scaffolds produced in our investigation has essential properties, such has high mass transfer efficiency, and variable pore sizes, to adapt to various needs of different cell types. In addition to the malleability of these innovative scaffolds, fabrication procedure was effortless and fast. Primary neonatal mice cardiomyocytes were successfully harvested and cultured in 3D scaffolds made of gelatin and collagen. Gelatin and gelatin-collagen scaffold were produced by the formation of microbubbles through a microfluidic device, and the mechanical properties of gelatin scaffold and gelatin-collagen scaffold were measured. Cellular properties in the microbubbles were also monitored. Fluorescence staining results assured that cardiomyocytes could maintain in vivo morphology in 3D gelatin scaffold. In addition, it was found that 3D scaffold could prolong the contraction behavior of cardiomyocytes compared with a conventional 2D culture dish. Spontaneously contracted behavior was maintained for the longest (about 1 month) in the 3D gelatin scaffold, about 19 days in the 3D gelatin-collagen scaffold. To sum up, this 3D platform for cell culture has promising potential for myocardial tissue engineering.

Cell microenvironment engineering and monitoring for tissue engineering and regenerative medicine: the recent advances

In tissue engineering and regenerative medicine, the conditions in the immediate vicinity of the cells have a direct effect on cells' behaviour and subsequently on clinical outcomes. Physical, chemical, and biological control of cell microenvironment are of crucial importance for the ability to direct and control cell behaviour in 3-dimensional tissue engineering scaffolds spatially and temporally. In this review, we will focus on the different aspects of cell microenvironment such as surface micro-, nanotopography, extracellular matrix composition and distribution, controlled release of soluble factors, and mechanical stress/strain conditions and how these aspects and their interactions can be used to achieve a higher degree of control over cellular activities. The effect of these parameters on the cellular behaviour within tissue engineering context is discussed and how these parameters are used to develop engineered tissues is elaborated. Also, recent techniques developed for the monitoring of the cell microenvironment in vitro and in vivo are reviewed, together with recent tissue engineering applications where the control of cell microenvironment has been exploited. Cell microenvironment engineering and monitoring are crucial parts of tissue engineering efforts and systems which utilize different components of the cell microenvironment simultaneously can provide more functional engineered tissues in the near future.

Electrospun PLGA fibers incorporated with functionalized biomolecules for cardiac tissue engineering

Structural similarity of electrospun fibers (ESFs) to the native extracellular matrix provides great potential for the application of biofunctional ESFs in tissue engineering. This study aimed to synthesize biofunctionalized poly (L-lactide-co-glycolide) (PLGA) ESFs for investigating the potential for cardiac tissue engineering application. We developed a simple but novel strategy to incorporate adhesive peptides in PLGA ESFs. Two adhesive peptides derived from laminin, YIGSR, and RGD, were covalently conjugated to poly-L-lysine, and then mingled with PLGA solution for electrospinning. Peptides were uniformly distributed on the surface and in the interior of ESFs. PLGA ESFs incorporated with YIGSR or RGD or adsorbed with laminin significantly enhanced the adhesion of cardiomyocytes isolated from neonatal rats. Furthermore, the cells were found to adhere better on ESFs compared with flat substrates after 7 days of culture. Immunofluorescent staining of F-actin, vinculin, a-actinin, and N-cadherin indicated that cardiomyocytes adhered and formed striated α-actinin better on the laminin-coated ESFs and the YIGSR-incorporated ESFs compared with the RGD-incorporated ESFs. The expression of α-myosin heavy chain and β-tubulin on the YIGSR-incorporated ESFs was significantly higher compared with the expression level on PLGA and RGD-incorporated samples. Furthermore, the contraction of cardiomyocytes was faster and lasted longer on the laminin-coated ESFs and YIGSR-incorporated ESFs. The results suggest that aligned YIGSR-incorporated PLGA ESFs is a better candidate for the formation of cardiac patches. This study demonstrated the potential of using peptide-incorporated ESFs as designable-scaffold platform for tissue engineering.

Substrate stiffness-regulated matrix metalloproteinase output in myocardial cells and cardiac fibroblasts: implications for myocardial fibrosis

Cardiac fibrosis, an important pathological feature of structural remodeling, contributes to ventricular stiffness, diastolic dysfunction, arrhythmia and may even lead to sudden death. Matrix stiffness, one of the many mechanical factors acting on cells, is increasingly appreciated as an important mediator of myocardial cell behavior. Polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) substrates were fabricated with different stiffnesses to mimic physiological and pathological heart tissues, and the way in which the elastic modulus of the substrate regulated matrix-degrading gelatinases in myocardial cells and cardiac fibroblasts was explored. Initially, an increase in cell spreading area was observed, concomitant with the increase in PDMS stiffness in both cells. Later, it was demonstrated that the MMP-2 gene expression and protein activity in myocardial cells and cardiac fibroblasts can be enhanced with an increase in PDMS substrate stiffness and, moreover, such gene- and protein-related increases had a significant linear correlation with the elastic modulus. In comparison, the MMP-9 gene and protein expressions were up-regulated in cardiac fibroblasts only, not in myocardial cells. These results implied that myocardial cells and cardiac fibroblasts in the myocardium could sense the stiffness in pathological fibrosis and showed a differential but positive response in the expression of matrix-degrading gelatinases when exposed to an increased stiffening of the matrix in the microenvironment. The phenomenon of cells sensing pathological matrix stiffness can help to increase understanding of the mechanism underlying myocardial fibrosis and may ultimately lead to planning cure strategies.

Engineering adolescence: maturation of human pluripotent stem cell-derived cardiomyocytes

The discovery of human pluripotent stem cells (hPSCs), including both human embryonic stem cells and human-induced pluripotent stem cells, has opened up novel paths for a wide range of scientific studies. The capability to direct the differentiation of hPSCs into functional cardiomyocytes has provided a platform for regenerative medicine, development, tissue engineering, disease modeling, and drug toxicity testing. Despite exciting progress, achieving the optimal benefits has been hampered by the immature nature of these cardiomyocytes. Cardiac maturation has long been studied in vivo using animal models; however, finding ways to mature hPSC cardiomyocytes is only in its initial stages. In this review, we discuss progress in promoting the maturation of the hPSC cardiomyocytes, in the context of our current knowledge of developmental cardiac maturation and in relation to in vitro model systems such as rodent ventricular myocytes. Promising approaches that have begun to be examined in hPSC cardiomyocytes include long-term culturing, 3-dimensional tissue engineering, mechanical loading, electric stimulation, modulation of substrate stiffness, and treatment with neurohormonal factors. Future studies will benefit from the combinatorial use of different approaches that more closely mimic nature's diverse cues, which may result in broader changes in structure, function, and therapeutic applicability.

Alignment of Carbon Nanotubes: An Approach to Modulate Cell Orientation and Asymmetry

Stem cells offer a promising tool in tissue engineering strategies, as their differentiated derivatives can be used to reconstruct most biological tissues. These approaches rely on controlling the biophysical cues that tune the ultimate fate of cells. In this context, significant effort has gone to parse out the role of conflicting matrix-elicited signals (e.g., topography and elasticity) in regulation of macroscopic characteristics of cells (e.g., shape and polarity). A critical hurdle, however, lies in our inability to recapitulate the nanoscale spatiotemporal pattern of these signals. The study presented in this manuscript took an initial step to overcome this challenge by developing a carbon nanotube (CNT)-based substrate for nanoresolution control of focal adhesion formation and cell alignment. The utility of this system was studied using human umbilical vascular endothelial cells (HUVECs) and human embryonic stem cells (hESCs) at a single cell level. Our results demonstrated the ability to control cell orientation by merely controlling the alignment of focal adhesions at a nanoscale size. Our long-term vision is to use these nanoengineered substrates to mimic cell orientation in earlier development and explore the role of polarity in asymmetric division and lineage specification of dividing cells.

The arrhythmogenic effect of self-assembling nanopeptide hydrogel scaffolds on neonatal mouse cardiomyocytes

The chaotic spatial disarray due to extracellular matrix expansion disrupts cardiomyocytes interaction and causes arrhythmia. We hypothesized that disordered nanopeptide scaffolds can mimic the chaotic spatial disarray related to cardiac fibrosis and have arrhythmogenic effects on cardiomyocytes. Primary mouse cardiomyocytes were cultured in 2D traditional and 3D nanopeptide hydrogel scaffold systems. Cardiomyocytes in 3D scaffolds showed irregular spontaneous contractile activity as compared with 2D culture controls. Calcium fluorimetric imaging revealed that basal intracellular calcium level increased 1.42-fold in cardiomyocytes cultured in the 3D scaffold, in vitro. The mRNA levels of sarcoplasmic reticulum calcium transport ATPase, ryanodine 2 receptor and connexin 43 elevated 2.14-fold, 2.33-fold and 2.62-fold in 3D compared with 2D. Immunofluorescence imaging revealed lateralization of the distribution of connexin 43 in 3D group. These findings suggest that 3D hydrogel culture system provides a model for the development of cardiac dysrhythmia. These limitations should be considered during cardiac tissue engineering.

FROM THE CLINICAL EDITOR

This team of scientists has established a unique 3D hydrogel culture system as a model for the development of cardiac dysrhythmia.

Electrospun fibers as a scaffolding platform for bone tissue repair

The purpose of the study is to investigate the effects of electrospun fiber diameter and orientation on differentiation and ECM organization of bone marrow stromal cells (BMSCs), in attempt to provide rationale for fabrication of a periosteum mimetic for bone defect repair. Cellular growth, differentiation, and ECM organization were analyzed on PLGA-based random and aligned fibers using fluorescent microscopy, gene analyses, electron scanning microscopy (SEM), and multiphoton laser scanning microscopy (MPLSM). BMSCs on aligned fibers had a reduced number of ALP+ colony at Day 10 as compared to the random fibers of the same size. However, the ALP+ area in the aligned fibers increased to a similar level as the random fibers at Day 21 following stimulation with osteogenic media. Compared with the random fibers, BMSCs on the aligned fibers showed a higher expression of OSX and RUNX2. Analyses of ECM on decellularized spun fibers showed highly organized ECM arranged according to the orientation of the spun fibers, with a broad size distribution of collagen fibers in a range of 40-2.4 μm. Taken together, our data support the use of submicron-sized electrospun fibers for engineering of oriented fibrous tissue mimetic, such as periosteum, for guided bone repair and reconstruction.

Biomimetic three-dimensional anisotropic geometries by uniaxial stretching of poly(ε-caprolactone) films: degradation and mesenchymal stem cell responses

Geometric cues have been used for a variety of cell regulation and tissue regenerative applications. While the function of geometric cues is being recognized, their stability and degradation behaviors are not well known. Here, we studied the influence of degradation on uniaxial-stretch-induced poly(ε-caprolactone) (UX-PCL) ridge/groove arrays and further cellular responses. Results from accelerated hydrolysis in vitro showed that UX-PCL ridge/groove arrays followed a surface-controlled erosion, with an overall geometry remained even at ∼45% film weight loss. Compared to unstretched PCL flat surfaces and/or ridge/groove arrays, UX-PCL ridge/groove arrays achieved an enhanced morphological stability against degradation. Over the degradation period, UX-PCL ridge/groove arrays exhibited an "S-shape" behavior of film weight loss, and retained more stable surface hydrophilicity and higher film mechanical properties than those of unstretched PCL surfaces. Human mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) aligned better toward UX-PCL ridge/groove arrays when the geometries were remained intact, and became sensitive with gradually declined nucleus alignment and elongation to the geometric degradation of ridges. We speculate that uniaxial stretching confers UX-PCL ridge/groove arrays with enhanced stability against degradation in erosive environment. This study provides insights of how degradation influences geometric cues and further cell responses, and has implications for the design of biomaterials with stability-enhanced geometric cues for long-term tissue regeneration.

Differential regulation of stiffness, topography, and dimension of substrates in rat mesenchymal stem cells

The physiological microenvironment of the stem cell niche, including the three factors of stiffness, topography, and dimension, is crucial to stem cell proliferation and differentiation. Although a growing body of evidence is present to elucidate the importance of these factors individually, the interaction of the biophysical parameters of the factors remains insufficiently characterized, particularly for stem cells. To address this issue fully, we applied a micro-fabricated polyacrylamide hydrogel substrate with two elasticities, two topographies, and three dimensions to systematically test proliferation, morphology and spreading, differentiation, and cytoskeletal re-organization of rat bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells (rBMSCs) on twelve cases. An isolated but not combinatory impact of the factors was found regarding the specific functions. Substrate stiffness or dimension is predominant in regulating cell proliferation by fostering cell growth on stiff, unevenly dimensioned substrate. Topography is a key factor for manipulating cell morphology and spreading via the formation of a large spherical shape in a pillar substrate but not in a grooved substrate. Although stiffness leads to osteogenic or neuronal differentiation of rBMSCs on a stiff or soft substrate, respectively, topography or dimension also plays a lesser role in directing cell differentiation. Neither an isolated effect nor a combinatory effect was found for actin or tubulin expression, whereas a seemingly combinatory effect of topography and dimension was found in manipulating vimentin expression. These results further the understandings of stem cell proliferation, morphology, and differentiation in a physiologically mimicking microenvironment.

PGS:Gelatin nanofibrous scaffolds with tunable mechanical and structural properties for engineering cardiac tissues

A significant challenge in cardiac tissue engineering is the development of biomimetic grafts that can potentially promote myocardial repair and regeneration. A number of approaches have used engineered scaffolds to mimic the architecture of the native myocardium tissue and precisely regulate cardiac cell functions. However, previous attempts have not been able to simultaneously recapitulate chemical, mechanical, and structural properties of the myocardial extracellular matrix (ECM). In this study, we utilized an electrospinning approach to fabricate elastomeric biodegradable poly(glycerol sebacate) (PGS):gelatin nanofibrous scaffolds with a wide range of chemical composition, stiffness and anisotropy. Our findings demonstrated that through incorporation of PGS, it is possible to create nanofibrous scaffolds with well-defined anisotropy that mimic the left ventricular myocardium architecture. Furthermore, we studied attachment, proliferation, differentiation and alignment of neonatal rat cardiac fibroblast cells (CFs) as well as protein expression, alignment, and contractile function of cardiomyocyte (CMs) on PGS:gelatin scaffolds with variable amount of PGS. Notably, aligned nanofibrous scaffold, consisting of 33 wt. % PGS, induced optimal synchronous contractions of CMs while significantly enhanced cellular alignment. Overall, our study suggests that the aligned nanofibrous PGS:gelatin scaffold support cardiac cell organization, phenotype and contraction and could potentially be used to develop clinically relevant constructs for cardiac tissue engineering.

Preparation of micron/submicron hybrid patterns via a two-stage UV-imprint technique and their dimensional effects on cell adhesion and alignment

Cell adhesion, movement and proliferation on a biomaterial have been broadly explored and known to be induced by the morphology and structure of material surfaces. In order to explore the effects of hybrid structures (combination of micro- and nanofeatures on a pattern) on cell adhesion and alignment, a micro-featured mold was firstly prepared using partial UV-irradiation and the protruding top of the mold was then imprinted with nano-featured templates via successive UV irradiation. An oxygen inhibition effect was utilized in the course of UV curing and a two-step molding process, to form multiscale hybrid structures. The poly(dimethyl siloxane) (PDMS) replica of the hybrid mold was manufactured and employed to fabricate hybrid polymeric patterns for cell attachment. The underlying micro-feature was chosen to be a 25-µm-wide pattern and the nanostructures on the protrusions of the micropattern were different ruled nanogrooves, either parallel or perpendicular to the micro-featured pattern. In cell attachment measurement, 3T3 fibroblasts attached to poly(methyl methacrylate) (PMMA) samples seemed to be preferentially located on the recessed area of the hybrid patterns; however, 3T3 fibroblasts were aligned with nano-features, no matter if the nanogrooves were parallel or perpendicular to the micro-featured patterns. The nanogroove size was found to determine the effectiveness of cell alignment.

Influence of nanostructural environment and fluid flow on osteoblast-like cell behavior: a model for cell-mechanics studies

Introducing nanoroughness on various biomaterials has been shown to profoundly effect cell-material interactions. Similarly, physical forces act on a diverse array of cells and tissues. Particularly in bone, the tissue experiences compressive or tensile forces resulting in fluid shear stress. The current study aimed to develop an experimental setup for bone cell behavior, combining a nanometrically grooved substrate (200 nm wide, 50 nm deep) mimicking the collagen fibrils of the extracellular matrix, with mechanical stimulation by pulsatile fluid flow (PFF). MC3T3-E1 osteoblast-like cells were assessed for morphology, expression of genes involved in cell attachment and osteoblastogenesis and nitric oxide (NO) release. The results showed that both nanotexture and PFF did affect cellular morphology. Cells aligned on nanotexture substrate in a direction parallel to the groove orientation. PFF at a magnitude of 0.7 Pa was sufficient to induce alignment of cells on a smooth surface in a direction perpendicular to the applied flow. When environmental cues texture and flow were interacting, PFF of 1.4 Pa applied parallel to the nanogrooves initiated significant cellular realignment. PFF increased NO synthesis 15-fold in cells attached to both smooth and nanotextured substrates. Increased collagen and alkaline phosphatase mRNA expression was observed on the nanotextured substrate, but not on the smooth substrate. Furthermore, vinculin and bone sialoprotein were up-regulated after 1 h of PFF stimulation. In conclusion, the data show that interstitial fluid forces and structural cues mimicking extracellular matrix contribute to the final bone cell morphology and behavior, which might have potential application in tissue engineering.

Scalable cell alignment on optical media substrates

Cell alignment by underlying topographical cues has been shown to affect important biological processes such as differentiation and functional maturation in vitro. However, the routine use of cell culture substrates with micro- or nano-topographies, such as grooves, is currently hampered by the high cost and specialized facilities required to produce these substrates. Here we present cost-effective commercially available optical media as substrates for aligning cells in culture. These optical media, including CD-R, DVD-R and optical grating, allow different cell types to attach and grow well on them. The physical dimension of the grooves in these optical media allowed cells to be aligned in confluent cell culture with maximal cell-cell interaction and these cell alignment affect the morphology and differentiation of cardiac (H9C2), skeletal muscle (C2C12) and neuronal (PC12) cell lines. The optical media is amenable to various chemical modifications with fibronectin, laminin and gelatin for culturing different cell types. These low-cost commercially available optical media can serve as scalable substrates for research or drug safety screening applications in industry scales.

The effect of microgrooved culture substrates on calcium cycling of cardiac myocytes derived from human induced pluripotent stem cells

Induced pluripotent stem cell-derived cardiomyocytes (iPSC-CM) have been widely proposed as in vitro models of myocardial physiology and disease. A significant obstacle, however, is their immature phenotype. We hypothesised that Ca(2+) cycling of iPSC-CM is influenced by culture conditions and can be manipulated to obtain a more mature cellular behaviour. To test this hypothesis we seeded iPSC-CM onto fibronectin coated microgrooved polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) scaffolds fabricated using photolithography, or onto unstructured PDMS membrane. After two weeks in culture, the structure and function of iPSC-CM were studied. PDMS microgrooved culture substrates brought about cellular alignment (p < 0.0001) and more organised sarcomere. The Ca(2+) cycling properties of iPSC-CM cultured on these substrates were significantly altered with a shorter time to peak amplitude (p = 0.0002 at 1 Hz), and more organised sarcoplasmic reticulum (SR) Ca(2+) release in response to caffeine (p < 0.0001), suggesting improved SR Ca(2+) cycling. These changes were not associated with modifications in gene expression. Whilst structured tissue culture may make iPSC-CM more representative of adult myocardium, further construct development and characterisation is required to optimise iPSC-CM as a model of adult myocardium.

Biomaterial applications in cardiovascular tissue repair and regeneration

Cardiovascular disease physically damages the heart, resulting in loss of cardiac function. Medications can help alleviate symptoms, but it is more beneficial to treat the root cause by repairing injured tissues, which gives patients better outcomes. Besides heart transplants, cardiac surgeons use a variety of methods for repairing different areas of the heart such as the ventricular septal wall and valves. A multitude of biomaterials are used in the repair and replacement of impaired heart tissues. These biomaterials fall into two main categories: synthetic and natural. Synthetic materials used in cardiovascular applications include polymers and metals. Natural materials are derived from biological sources such as human donor or harvested animal tissues. A new class of composite materials has emerged to take advantage of the benefits of the strengths and minimize the weaknesses of both synthetic and natural materials. This article reviews the current and prospective applications of biomaterials in cardiovascular therapies.

Substrate stiffness affects sarcomere and costamere structure and electrophysiological function of isolated adult cardiomyocytes

INTRODUCTION

The mechanical environment is a key regulator of function in cardiomyocytes. We studied the role of substrate stiffness on the organization of sarcomeres and costameres in adult rat cardiomyocytes and further examined the resulting changes in cell shortening and calcium dynamics.

METHODS

Cardiomyocytes isolated from adult rats were plated on laminin-coated polydimethylsiloxane substrates of defined stiffness (255 kPa, 117 kPa, 27 kPa, and 7 kPa) for 48 h. Levels of α-actinin and β1 integrins were determined by immunofluoresence imaging and immunoblotting, both in the absence and presence of the phosphatase inhibitor calyculin A. Quantitative reverse transcriptase polymerase chain reaction was used to measure message levels of key structural proteins (α-actinin, α7 integrin, β1 integrin, vinculin). Sarcomere shortening and calcium dynamics were measured at 2, 24, and 48 h.

RESULTS

Overall cardiomyocyte morphology was similar on all substrates. However, well organized sarcomere structures were observed on only the stiffest (255 kPa) and the most compliant (7 kPa) substrates. Levels of α-actinin in cells were the same on all substrates, while message levels of structural proteins were up-regulated on substrates of intermediate stiffness. Inhibition of phosphatase activity blocked the degradation of contractile structures, but altered overall cardiomyocyte morphology. Shortening and calcium dynamics also were dependent on substrate stiffness; however, there was no clear causative relationship between the phenomena.

CONCLUSIONS

Extracellular matrix stiffness can affect structural remodeling by adult cardiomyocytes, and the resulting contractile activity. These findings illuminate changes in cardiomyocyte function in cardiac fibrosis, and may suggest cardiac-specific phosphatases as a target for therapeutic intervention.

Modulation of osteogenic, adipogenic and myogenic differentiation of mesenchymal stem cells by submicron grooved topography

Topographic cues have been recognized crucial on the modulation of cell behavior, and subsequent important for the design of implants, cell-based biomedical devices and tissue-engineered products. Grooved topography direct cells to align anisotropically on the substrates, resulting in an obvious morphological difference compared with the flat and the other topographies. This study aimed at investigating the effects of grooved topography on the differentiation of mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) into osteoblasts, adipocytes and myoblasts. A series of submicron-grooved polystyrene substrates with equal groove-to-ridge ratio but different width and depth (width/depth (nm): 450/100, 450/350, 900/100, and 900/550) were fabricated based on electron beam lithography and soft lithography techniques. Primary rat MSCs (rMSCs) were cultured on these substrates without induction for differentiation for 6 days, and then subjected to induction for osteogenesis, adipogenesis and myogenesis. While the alignment of rMSCs strongly complied with the direction of the grooves and increased with groove depths, cell attachment on day 1 (~1.5 × 10(4)/cm(2)) and cell proliferation after 6 days of culture (~5 × 10(4)/cm(2)) were not significantly affected by substrate types. Osteogenesis, indicated by alkaline phosphatase activities and calcium deposit, was not significantly modulated by the grooved substrates, compared with the flat control, suggesting that cell alignment may not determine osteoinduction of rMSCs. On the other hand, adipogenesis, indicated by lipid production, was significantly enhanced by the grooved substrates compared with the flat surface (P < 0.001). On the other hand, myogenesis, indicated by desmin and MHC staining, was enhanced by the grooves in a time- and groove size-dependent manner compared with the flat control. The results suggested that grooved topography has an in-depth potential for modulating the commitment of the stem cell lineages, which could benefit the development of advanced biomaterials for biomedical applications.

Toward on-chip, in-cell recordings from cultured cardiomyocytes by arrays of gold mushroom-shaped microelectrodes

Cardiological research greatly rely on the use of cultured primary cardiomyocytes (CMs). The prime methodology to assess CM network electrophysiology is based on the use of extracellular recordings by substrate-integrated planar Micro-Electrode Arrays (MEAs). Whereas this methodology permits simultaneous, long-term monitoring of the CM electrical activity, it limits the information to extracellular field potentials (FPs). The alternative method of intracellular action potentials (APs) recordings by sharp- or patch-microelectrodes is limited to a single cell at a time. Here, we began to merge the advantages of planar MEA and intracellular microelectrodes. To that end we cultured rat CM on micrometer size protruding gold mushroom-shaped microelectrode (gMμEs) arrays. Cultured CMs engulf the gMμE permitting FPs recordings from individual cells. Local electroporation of a CM converts the extracellular recording configuration to attenuated intracellular APs with shape and duration similar to those recorded intracellularly. The procedure enables to simultaneously record APs from an unlimited number of CMs. The electroporated membrane spontaneously recovers. This allows for repeated recordings from the same CM a number of times (>8) for over 10 days. The further development of CM-gMμE configuration opens up new venues for basic and applied biomedical research.

Modulation of cell attachment and collagen production of anterior cruciate ligament cells via submicron grooves/ridges structures with different cell affinity

This study aimed to investigate the effects of submicron-grooved topography and surface cell affinity on the attachment, proliferation and collagen synthesis of anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) cells. Two grooved polystyrene (PS) surfaces (equal groove/ridge width of 800 nm) with a groove depth of 100 or 700 nm were fabricated and modified by oxygen plasma treatment, dopamine deposition and conjugation of RGD-containing peptides to enhance cell affinity. The elongation and alignment of ACL cells was enhanced by grooved structures with increasing groove depths regardless of surface chemistry. On the other hand, cell spreading and proliferation mainly depended on surface chemistry, in accordance with surface cell affinity: O(2) plasma < dopamine deposition < RGD conjugation. The synthesis of type I collagen was the highest by the ACL cells cultured on the 700 nm grooved surface conjugated with RGD peptides, indicating that both surface grooved topography and chemistry play a role in modulating collagen production of ACL cells. Furthermore, the type I collagen deposited on the 700 nm PS surface was aligned with grooves/ridges. Our results indicated that both ligand presentation and cell alignment are important in the physiological activities of ACL fibroblasts. Such information is critical for design of biomaterials for ACL tissue engineering.

Effects of substrate mechanics on contractility of cardiomyocytes generated from human pluripotent stem cells

Human pluripotent stem cell (hPSC-) derived cardiomyocytes have potential applications in drug discovery, toxicity testing, developmental studies, and regenerative medicine. Before these cells can be reliably utilized, characterization of their functionality is required to establish their similarity to native cardiomyocytes. We tracked fluorescent beads embedded in 4.4-99.7 kPa polyacrylamide hydrogels beneath contracting neonatal rat cardiomyocytes and cardiomyocytes generated from hPSCs via growth-factor-induced directed differentiation to measure contractile output in response to changes in substrate mechanics. Contraction stress was determined using traction force microscopy, and morphology was characterized by immunocytochemistry for α-actinin and subsequent image analysis. We found that contraction stress of all types of cardiomyocytes increased with substrate stiffness. This effect was not linked to beating rate or morphology. We demonstrated that hPSC-derived cardiomyocyte contractility responded appropriately to isoprenaline and remained stable in culture over a period of 2 months. This study demonstrates that hPSC-derived cardiomyocytes have appropriate functional responses to substrate stiffness and to a pharmaceutical agent, which motivates their use in further applications such as drug evaluation and cardiac therapies.

The roles of RGD and grooved topography in the adhesion, morphology, and differentiation of C2C12 skeletal myoblasts

Both chemical and topographic cues are crucial for the development of skeletal muscle. In this study, the relative roles of both signals in regard to cell adhesion, morphology, and differentiation of C2C12 skeletal myoblasts were investigated. Grooved polystyrene substrates containing grooves with approximately 900 nm in width with 600 nm ridge spans and 665 nm in depth were conjugated with the cell adhesion peptide arginine-glycine-aspartic acid (RGD). RGD conjugation significantly enhanced the adhesion, growth and differentiation of C2C12 cells. On the other hand, anisotropic topography primarily directed the direction and alignment of myoblasts and myotubes. The results in this study provide information regarding the relative roles of chemical and topographic cues in musculoskeletal myogenesis, and are of interest to applications in muscle tissue engineering.

Screening of rat mesenchymal stem cell behaviour on polydimethylsiloxane stiffness gradients

Substrate stiffness is emerging as an effective tool for the regulation of cell behaviours such as locomotion, proliferation and differentiation. In order to explore the potential application of this biophysical tool, material platforms displaying lateral and continuously graded stiffness are advantageous since they allow the systematic exploration of adherent cell response to substrate stiffness and the tuning of the material to elicit the desired cell behaviour. Here, we demonstrate a simple approach towards the fabrication of polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) stiffness gradients (with an indentation modulus of 190 kPa-3.1 MPa across a 12 mm distance) by means of a temperature gradient during curing. We then apply these stiffness gradients to the screening of osteogenic differentiation in rat mesenchymal stem cells (rMSCs). Our proof-of-principle results show that mineralization of rMSCs is strongly dependent on the PDMS substrate stiffness, but is also influenced by the display of extracellular matrix proteins preadsorbed on the gradients. This screening capability holds tremendous potential for the design of improved implant materials and tissue engineering scaffolds.

Novel biodegradable, biomimetic and functionalised polymer scaffolds to prevent expansion of post-infarct left ventricular remodelling

Over the past decade, a large number of strategies and technologies have been developed to reduce heart failure progression. Among these, cardiac tissue engineering is one of the most promising. Aim of this study is to develop a 3D scaffold to treat cardiac failure. A new three-block copolymer, obtained from δ-valerolactone and polyoxyethylene, was synthesised under high vacuum without catalyst. Copolymer/gelatine blends were microfabricated to obtain a ECM-like geometry. Structures were studied under morphological, mechanical, degradation and biological aspects. To prevent left ventricular remodelling, constructs were biofunctionalises with molecularly imprinted nanoparticles towards the matrix metalloproteinase MMP-9. Results showed that materials are able to reproduce the ECM structure with high resolution, mechanical properties were in the order of MPa similar to those of the native myocardium and cell viability was verified. Nanoparticles showed the capability to rebind MMP-9 (specific rebinding 18.67) and to be permanently immobilised on the scaffold surface.