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Xie J, Huck WTS, Bao M. Unveiling the Intricate Connection: Cell Volume as a Key Regulator of Mechanotransduction. Annu Rev Biophys 2024; 53:299-317. [PMID: 38424091 DOI: 10.1146/annurev-biophys-030822-035656] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 03/02/2024]
Abstract
The volumes of living cells undergo dynamic changes to maintain the cells' structural and functional integrity in many physiological processes. Minor fluctuations in cell volume can serve as intrinsic signals that play a crucial role in cell fate determination during mechanotransduction. In this review, we discuss the variability of cell volume and its role in vivo, along with an overview of the mechanisms governing cell volume regulation. Additionally, we provide insights into the current approaches used to control cell volume in vitro. Furthermore, we summarize the biological implications of cell volume regulation and discuss recent advances in understanding the fundamental relationship between cell volume and mechanotransduction. Finally, we delve into the potential underlying mechanisms, including intracellular macromolecular crowding and cellular mechanics, that govern the global regulation of cell fate in response to changes in cell volume. By exploring the intricate interplay between cell volume and mechanotransduction, we underscore the importance of considering cell volume as a fundamental signaling cue to unravel the basic principles of mechanotransduction. Additionally, we propose future research directions that can extend our current understanding of cell volume in mechanotransduction. Overall, this review highlights the significance of considering cell volume as a fundamental signal in understanding the basic principles in mechanotransduction and points out the possibility of controlling cell volume to control cell fate, mitigate disease-related damage, and facilitate the healing of damaged tissues.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jing Xie
- Institute of Biomedical Engineering, West China School of Basic Medical Sciences & Forensic Medicine, Sichuan University, Chengdu, China
| | - Wilhelm T S Huck
- Institute for Molecules and Materials, Radboud University, Nijmegen, The Netherlands;
| | - Min Bao
- Oujiang Laboratory (Zhejiang Lab for Regenerative Medicine, Vision and Brain Health), First Affiliated Hospital of Wenzhou Medical University, Wenzhou, Zhejiang, China;
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2
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Kim HS, Taghizadeh A, Taghizadeh M, Kim HW. Advanced materials technologies to unravel mechanobiological phenomena. Trends Biotechnol 2024; 42:179-196. [PMID: 37666712 DOI: 10.1016/j.tibtech.2023.08.002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/29/2023] [Revised: 08/06/2023] [Accepted: 08/07/2023] [Indexed: 09/06/2023]
Abstract
Advancements in materials-driven mechanobiology have yielded significant progress. Mechanobiology explores how cellular and tissue mechanics impact development, physiology, and disease, where extracellular matrix (ECM) dynamically interacts with cells. Biomaterial-based platforms emulate synthetic ECMs, offering precise control over cellular behaviors by adjusting mechanical properties. Recent technological advances enable in vitro models replicating active mechanical stimuli in vivo. These models manipulate cellular mechanics even at a subcellular level. In this review we discuss recent material-based mechanomodulatory studies in mechanobiology. We highlight the endeavors to mimic the dynamic properties of native ECM during pathophysiological processes like cellular homeostasis, lineage specification, development, aging, and disease progression. These insights may inform the design of accurate in vitro mechanomodulatory platforms that replicate ECM mechanics.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hye Sung Kim
- Institute of Tissue Regeneration Engineering (ITREN), Dankook University, Cheonan 31116, Republic of Korea; Mechanobiology Dental Medicine Research Center, Dankook University, Cheonan 31116, Republic of Korea; Department of Nanobiomedical Science and BK21 NBM Global Research Center for Regenerative Medicine, Dankook University, Cheonan 31116, Republic of Korea
| | - Ali Taghizadeh
- Institute of Tissue Regeneration Engineering (ITREN), Dankook University, Cheonan 31116, Republic of Korea; Mechanobiology Dental Medicine Research Center, Dankook University, Cheonan 31116, Republic of Korea; Department of Nanobiomedical Science and BK21 NBM Global Research Center for Regenerative Medicine, Dankook University, Cheonan 31116, Republic of Korea
| | - Mohsen Taghizadeh
- Institute of Tissue Regeneration Engineering (ITREN), Dankook University, Cheonan 31116, Republic of Korea; Mechanobiology Dental Medicine Research Center, Dankook University, Cheonan 31116, Republic of Korea; Department of Nanobiomedical Science and BK21 NBM Global Research Center for Regenerative Medicine, Dankook University, Cheonan 31116, Republic of Korea
| | - Hae-Won Kim
- Institute of Tissue Regeneration Engineering (ITREN), Dankook University, Cheonan 31116, Republic of Korea; Mechanobiology Dental Medicine Research Center, Dankook University, Cheonan 31116, Republic of Korea; Department of Nanobiomedical Science and BK21 NBM Global Research Center for Regenerative Medicine, Dankook University, Cheonan 31116, Republic of Korea.
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3
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Li X, Liu S, Han S, Sun Q, Yang J, Zhang Y, Jiang Y, Wang X, Li Q, Wang J. Dynamic Stiffening Hydrogel with Instructive Stiffening Timing Modulates Stem Cell Fate In Vitro and Enhances Bone Remodeling In Vivo. Adv Healthc Mater 2023; 12:e2300326. [PMID: 37643370 DOI: 10.1002/adhm.202300326] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/13/2023] [Revised: 08/24/2023] [Indexed: 08/31/2023]
Abstract
Biomechanical stimuli derived from the extracellular matrix (ECM) extremely tune stem cell fate through 3D and spatiotemporal changes in vivo. The matrix stiffness is a crucial factor during bone tissue development. However, most in vitro models to study the osteogenesis of mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) are static or stiffening in a 2D environment. Here, a dynamic and controllable stiffening 3D biomimetic model is created to regulate the osteogenic differentiation of MSCs with a dual-functional gelatin macromer that can generate a double-network hydrogel by sequential enzymatic and light-triggered crosslinking reactions. The findings show that these dynamic hydrogels allowed cells to spread and expand prior to the secondary crosslinking and to sense high stiffness after stiffening. The MSCs in the dynamic hydrogels, especially the hydrogel stiffened at the late period, present significantly elevated osteogenic ECM secretion, gene expression, and nuclear localization of Yes-associated protein (YAP) and transcriptional coactivator with PDZ-binding motif (TAZ). In vivo evaluation of animal experiments further indicates that the enhancement of dynamic stiffening on osteogenesis of MSCs substantially promotes bone remodeling. Consequently, this work reveals that the 3D dynamic stiffening microenvironment as a critical biophysical cue not only mediates the stem cell fate in vitro, but also augments bone restoration in vivo.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xiaomeng Li
- School of Mechanics and Safety Engineering, Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, 450001, China
- National Center for International Joint Research of Micro-Nano Moulding Technology, Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, 450001, China
| | - Shuaibing Liu
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, 430074, China
- Hubei Bioinformatics and Molecular Imaging Key Laboratory, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, 430074, China
| | - Shanshan Han
- School of Mechanics and Safety Engineering, Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, 450001, China
- National Center for International Joint Research of Micro-Nano Moulding Technology, Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, 450001, China
| | - Qingqing Sun
- School of Materials Science and Engineering, Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, 450001, China
| | - Jianmin Yang
- College of Biological Science and Engineering, Fuzhou University, Fuzhou, 350108, China
| | - Yuhang Zhang
- School of Mechanics and Safety Engineering, Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, 450001, China
- National Center for International Joint Research of Micro-Nano Moulding Technology, Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, 450001, China
| | - Yongchao Jiang
- School of Materials Science and Engineering, Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, 450001, China
| | - Xiaofeng Wang
- School of Mechanics and Safety Engineering, Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, 450001, China
- National Center for International Joint Research of Micro-Nano Moulding Technology, Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, 450001, China
| | - Qian Li
- School of Mechanics and Safety Engineering, Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, 450001, China
- National Center for International Joint Research of Micro-Nano Moulding Technology, Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, 450001, China
| | - Jianglin Wang
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, 430074, China
- Hubei Bioinformatics and Molecular Imaging Key Laboratory, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, 430074, China
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4
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Gupta P, Alheib O, Shin JW. Towards single cell encapsulation for precision biology and medicine. Adv Drug Deliv Rev 2023; 201:115010. [PMID: 37454931 PMCID: PMC10798218 DOI: 10.1016/j.addr.2023.115010] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/03/2023] [Revised: 07/11/2023] [Accepted: 07/13/2023] [Indexed: 07/18/2023]
Abstract
The primary impetus of therapeutic cell encapsulation in the past several decades has been to broaden the options for donor cell sources by countering against immune-mediated rejection. However, another significant advantage of encapsulation is to provide donor cells with physiologically relevant cues that become compromised in disease. The advances in biomaterial design have led to the fundamental insight that cells sense and respond to various signals encoded in materials, ranging from biochemical to mechanical cues. The biomaterial design for cell encapsulation is becoming more sophisticated in controlling specific aspects of cellular phenotypes and more precise down to the single cell level. This recent progress offers a paradigm shift by designing single cell-encapsulating materials with predefined cues to precisely control donor cells after transplantation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Prerak Gupta
- Department of Pharmacology and Regenerative Medicine, University of Illinois at Chicago, Chicago, IL 60612, USA; Department of Biomedical Engineering, University of Illinois at Chicago, Chicago, IL 60607, USA
| | - Omar Alheib
- 3B's Research Group, I3Bs - Research Institute on Biomaterials, Biodegradables and Biomimetics, University of Minho, Headquarters of the European Institute of Excellence on Tissue Engineering and Regenerative Medicine, AvePark, Parque de Ciência e Tecnologia, Zona Industrial da Gandra, 4805-017 Barco, Guimarães, Portugal; ICVS/3B's - PT Government Associate Laboratory, Braga/Guimarães 4805-017, Portugal
| | - Jae-Won Shin
- Department of Pharmacology and Regenerative Medicine, University of Illinois at Chicago, Chicago, IL 60612, USA; Department of Biomedical Engineering, University of Illinois at Chicago, Chicago, IL 60607, USA.
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Puttrich T, O’Donnell S, Wong SW, Kotche M, Felder AE, Shin JW. Development of a programmable magnetic agitation device to maintain colloidal suspension of cells during microfluidic syringe pump perfusion. PLoS One 2023; 18:e0282563. [PMID: 36888609 PMCID: PMC9994697 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0282563] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/16/2022] [Accepted: 02/20/2023] [Indexed: 03/09/2023] Open
Abstract
Droplet-based microfluidic devices have been used to achieve homogeneous cell encapsulation, but cells sediment in a solution, leading to heterogeneous products. In this technical note, we describe automated and programmable agitation device to maintain colloidal suspensions of cells. We demonstrate that the agitation device can be interfaced with a syringe pump for microfluidic applications. Agitation profiles of the device were predictable and corresponded to device settings. The device maintains the concentration of cells in an alginate solution over time without implicating cell viability. This device replaces manual agitation, and hence is suitable for applications that require slow perfusion for a longer period of time in a scalable manner.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tommy Puttrich
- The Richard and Loan Hill Department of Biomedical Engineering, University of Illinois at Chicago, Chicago, Illinois, United States of America
| | - Steven O’Donnell
- The Richard and Loan Hill Department of Biomedical Engineering, University of Illinois at Chicago, Chicago, Illinois, United States of America
| | - Sing-Wan Wong
- The Richard and Loan Hill Department of Biomedical Engineering, University of Illinois at Chicago, Chicago, Illinois, United States of America
- Department of Pharmacology and Regenerative Medicine, University of Illinois at Chicago, Chicago, Illinois, United States of America
| | - Miiri Kotche
- The Richard and Loan Hill Department of Biomedical Engineering, University of Illinois at Chicago, Chicago, Illinois, United States of America
| | - Anthony E. Felder
- The Richard and Loan Hill Department of Biomedical Engineering, University of Illinois at Chicago, Chicago, Illinois, United States of America
- * E-mail: (JWS); (AEF)
| | - Jae-Won Shin
- The Richard and Loan Hill Department of Biomedical Engineering, University of Illinois at Chicago, Chicago, Illinois, United States of America
- Department of Pharmacology and Regenerative Medicine, University of Illinois at Chicago, Chicago, Illinois, United States of America
- * E-mail: (JWS); (AEF)
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6
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Cho IS, Gupta P, Mostafazadeh N, Wong SW, Saichellappa S, Lenzini S, Peng Z, Shin J. Deterministic Single Cell Encapsulation in Asymmetric Microenvironments to Direct Cell Polarity. ADVANCED SCIENCE (WEINHEIM, BADEN-WURTTEMBERG, GERMANY) 2023; 10:e2206014. [PMID: 36453581 PMCID: PMC9875620 DOI: 10.1002/advs.202206014] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/15/2022] [Indexed: 06/17/2023]
Abstract
Various signals in tissue microenvironments are often unevenly distributed around cells. Cellular responses to asymmetric cell-matrix adhesion in a 3D space remain generally unclear and are to be studied at the single-cell resolution. Here, the authors developed a droplet-based microfluidic approach to manufacture a pure population of single cells in a microscale layer of compartmentalized 3D hydrogel matrices with a tunable spatial presentation of ligands at the subcellular level. Cells elongate with an asymmetric presentation of the integrin adhesion ligand Arg-Gly-Asp (RGD), while cells expand isotropically with a symmetric presentation of RGD. Membrane tension is higher on the side of single cells interacting with RGD than on the side without RGD. Finite element analysis shows that a non-uniform isotropic cell volume expansion model is sufficient to recapitulate the experimental results. At a longer timescale, asymmetric ligand presentation commits mesenchymal stem cells to the osteogenic lineage. Cdc42 is an essential mediator of cell polarization and lineage specification in response to asymmetric cell-matrix adhesion. This study highlights the utility of precisely controlling 3D ligand presentation around single cells to direct cell polarity for regenerative engineering and medicine.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ik Sung Cho
- Department of Pharmacology and Regenerative MedicineUniversity of Illinois at Chicago College of MedicineChicagoIL60612USA
- Department of Biomedical EngineeringUniversity of Illinois at ChicagoChicagoIL60607USA
| | - Prerak Gupta
- Department of Pharmacology and Regenerative MedicineUniversity of Illinois at Chicago College of MedicineChicagoIL60612USA
- Department of Biomedical EngineeringUniversity of Illinois at ChicagoChicagoIL60607USA
| | - Nima Mostafazadeh
- Department of Biomedical EngineeringUniversity of Illinois at ChicagoChicagoIL60607USA
| | - Sing Wan Wong
- Department of Pharmacology and Regenerative MedicineUniversity of Illinois at Chicago College of MedicineChicagoIL60612USA
- Department of Biomedical EngineeringUniversity of Illinois at ChicagoChicagoIL60607USA
| | - Saiumamaheswari Saichellappa
- Department of Pharmacology and Regenerative MedicineUniversity of Illinois at Chicago College of MedicineChicagoIL60612USA
- Department of Biomedical EngineeringUniversity of Illinois at ChicagoChicagoIL60607USA
| | - Stephen Lenzini
- Department of Pharmacology and Regenerative MedicineUniversity of Illinois at Chicago College of MedicineChicagoIL60612USA
- Department of Biomedical EngineeringUniversity of Illinois at ChicagoChicagoIL60607USA
| | - Zhangli Peng
- Department of Biomedical EngineeringUniversity of Illinois at ChicagoChicagoIL60607USA
| | - Jae‐Won Shin
- Department of Pharmacology and Regenerative MedicineUniversity of Illinois at Chicago College of MedicineChicagoIL60612USA
- Department of Biomedical EngineeringUniversity of Illinois at ChicagoChicagoIL60607USA
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7
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Luo Q, Zhang J, Huang M, Lin G, Tanaka M, Lepler S, Guan J, Siemann D, Tang X. Automatic Multi-functional Integration Program (AMFIP) towards all-optical mechano-electrophysiology interrogation. PLoS One 2022; 17:e0266098. [PMID: 35901062 PMCID: PMC9333221 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0266098] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/17/2021] [Accepted: 03/14/2022] [Indexed: 11/25/2022] Open
Abstract
Automatic operations of multi-functional and time-lapse live-cell imaging are necessary for the biomedical science community to study active, multi-faceted, and long-term biological phenomena. To achieve automatic control, most existing solutions often require the purchase of extra software programs and hardware that rely on the manufacturers’ own specifications. However, these software programs are usually non-user-programmable and unaffordable for many laboratories. To address this unmet need, we have developed a novel open-source software program, titled Automatic Multi-functional Integration Program (AMFIP), as a new Java-based and hardware-independent system that provides proven advantages over existing alternatives to the scientific community. Without extra hardware, AMFIP enables the functional synchronization of the μManager software platform, the Nikon NIS-Elements platform, and other 3rd party software to achieve automatic operations of most commercially available microscopy systems, including but not limited to those from Nikon. AMFIP provides a user-friendly and programmable graphical user interface (GUI), opening the door to expanding the customizability for myriad hardware and software systems according to user-specific experimental requirements and environments. To validate the intended purposes of developing AMFIP, we applied it to elucidate the question whether single cells, prior to their full spreading, can sense and respond to a soft solid substrate, and if so, how does the interaction depend on the cell spreading time and the stiffness of the substrate. Using a CRISPR/Cas9-engineered human epithelial Beas2B (B2B) cell line that expresses mNeonGreen2-tagged mechanosensitive Yes-associated protein (YAP), we show that single B2B cells develop distinct substrate-stiffness-dependent YAP expressions within 10 hours at most on the substrate, suggesting that cells are able to sense, distinguish, and respond to mechanical cues prior to the establishment of full cell spreading. In summary, AMFIP provides a reliable, open-source, and cost-free solution that has the validated long-term utility to satisfy the need of automatic imaging operations in the scientific community.
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Affiliation(s)
- Qin Luo
- Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, Herbert Wertheim College of Engineering, University of Florida, Gainesville, Florida, United States of America
| | - Justin Zhang
- Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, University of California, Santa Barbara, California, United States of America
| | - Miao Huang
- Department of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering, Herbert Wertheim College of Engineering, UF, Gainesville, Florida, United States of America
| | - Gaoming Lin
- Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, Herbert Wertheim College of Engineering, University of Florida, Gainesville, Florida, United States of America
| | - Mai Tanaka
- Department of Radiation Oncology, College of Medicine, University of Florida, Gainesville, Florida, United States of America
- UF Health Cancer Center, University of Florida, Gainesville, Florida, United States of America
| | - Sharon Lepler
- Department of Radiation Oncology, College of Medicine, University of Florida, Gainesville, Florida, United States of America
- UF Health Cancer Center, University of Florida, Gainesville, Florida, United States of America
| | - Juan Guan
- UF Health Cancer Center, University of Florida, Gainesville, Florida, United States of America
- Department of Physics, College of Liberal Arts and Sciences, University of Florida, Gainesville, Florida, United States of America
- Department of Anatomy and Cell Biology, College of Medicine, University of Florida, Gainesville, Florida, United States of America
| | - Dietmar Siemann
- Department of Radiation Oncology, College of Medicine, University of Florida, Gainesville, Florida, United States of America
- UF Health Cancer Center, University of Florida, Gainesville, Florida, United States of America
| | - Xin Tang
- Department of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering, Herbert Wertheim College of Engineering, UF, Gainesville, Florida, United States of America
- UF Health Cancer Center, University of Florida, Gainesville, Florida, United States of America
- * E-mail:
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Han P, Gomez GA, Duda GN, Ivanovski S, Poh PS. Scaffold geometry modulation of mechanotransduction and its influence on epigenetics. Acta Biomater 2022; 163:259-274. [PMID: 35038587 DOI: 10.1016/j.actbio.2022.01.020] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/03/2021] [Revised: 01/10/2022] [Accepted: 01/11/2022] [Indexed: 02/03/2023]
Abstract
The dynamics of cell mechanics and epigenetic signatures direct cell behaviour and fate, thus influencing regenerative outcomes. In recent years, the utilisation of 2D geometric (i.e. square, circle, hexagon, triangle or round-shaped) substrates for investigating cell mechanics in response to the extracellular microenvironment have gained increasing interest in regenerative medicine due to their tunable physicochemical properties. In contrast, there is relatively limited knowledge of cell mechanobiology and epigenetics in the context of 3D biomaterial matrices, i.e., hydrogels and scaffolds. Scaffold geometry provides biophysical signals that trigger a nucleus response (regulation of gene expression) and modulates cell behaviour and function. In this review, we explore the potential of additive manufacturing to incorporate multi length-scale geometry features on a scaffold. Then, we discuss how scaffold geometry direct cell and nuclear mechanosensing. We further discuss how cell epigenetics, particularly DNA/histone methylation and histone acetylation, are modulated by scaffold features that lead to specific gene expression and ultimately influence the outcome of tissue regeneration. Overall, we highlight that geometry of different magnitude scales can facilitate the assembly of cells and multicellular tissues into desired functional architectures through the mechanotransduction pathway. Moving forward, the challenge confronting biomedical engineers is the distillation of the vast knowledge to incorporate multiscaled geometrical features that would collectively elicit a favourable tissue regeneration response by harnessing the design flexibility of additive manufacturing. STATEMENT OF SIGNIFICANCE: It is well-established that cells sense and respond to their 2D geometric microenvironment by transmitting extracellular physiochemical forces through the cytoskeleton and biochemical signalling to the nucleus, facilitating epigenetic changes such as DNA methylation, histone acetylation, and microRNA expression. In this context, the current review presents a unique perspective and highlights the importance of 3D architectures (dimensionality and geometries) on cell and nuclear mechanics and epigenetics. Insight into current challenges around the study of mechanobiology and epigenetics utilising additively manufactured 3D scaffold geometries will progress biomaterials research in this space.
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Inhibition of aberrant tissue remodelling by mesenchymal stromal cells singly coated with soft gels presenting defined chemomechanical cues. Nat Biomed Eng 2022; 6:54-66. [PMID: 34083763 PMCID: PMC8908879 DOI: 10.1038/s41551-021-00740-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/12/2020] [Accepted: 04/28/2021] [Indexed: 02/06/2023]
Abstract
The precise understanding and control of microenvironmental cues could be used to optimize the efficacy of cell therapeutics. Here, we show that mesenchymal stromal cells (MSCs) singly coated with a soft conformal gel presenting defined chemomechanical cues promote matrix remodelling by secreting soluble interstitial collagenases in response to the presence of tumour necrosis factor alpha (TNF-α). In mice with fibrotic lung injury, treatment with the coated MSCs maintained normal collagen levels, fibre density and microelasticity in lung tissue, and the continuous presentation of recombinant TNF-α in the gel facilitated the reversal of aberrant tissue remodelling by the cells when inflammation subsided in the host. Gel coatings with predefined chemomechanical cues could be used to tailor cells with specific mechanisms of action for desired therapeutic outcomes.
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10
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Lenzini S, Debnath K, Joshi JC, Wong SW, Srivastava K, Geng X, Cho IS, Song A, Bargi R, Lee JC, Mo GCH, Mehta D, Shin JW. Cell-Matrix Interactions Regulate Functional Extracellular Vesicle Secretion from Mesenchymal Stromal Cells. ACS NANO 2021; 15:17439-17452. [PMID: 34677951 PMCID: PMC9023614 DOI: 10.1021/acsnano.1c03231] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/10/2023]
Abstract
Extracellular vesicles (EVs) are cell-secreted particles with broad potential to treat tissue injuries by delivering cargo to program target cells. However, improving the yield of functional EVs on a per cell basis remains challenging due to an incomplete understanding of how microenvironmental cues regulate EV secretion at the nanoscale. We show that mesenchymal stromal cells (MSCs) seeded on engineered hydrogels that mimic the elasticity of soft tissues with a lower integrin ligand density secrete ∼10-fold more EVs per cell than MSCs seeded on a rigid plastic substrate, without compromising their therapeutic activity or cargo to resolve acute lung injury in mice. Mechanistically, intracellular CD63+ multivesicular bodies (MVBs) transport faster within MSCs on softer hydrogels, leading to an increased frequency of MVB fusion with the plasma membrane to secrete more EVs. Actin-related protein 2/3 complex but not myosin-II limits MVB transport and EV secretion from MSCs on hydrogels. The results provide a rational basis for biomaterial design to improve EV secretion while maintaining their functionality.
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11
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Matrix biophysical cues direct mesenchymal stromal cell functions in immunity. Acta Biomater 2021; 133:126-138. [PMID: 34365041 DOI: 10.1016/j.actbio.2021.07.075] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/25/2021] [Revised: 07/14/2021] [Accepted: 07/30/2021] [Indexed: 12/25/2022]
Abstract
Hydrogels have been used to design synthetic matrices that capture salient features of matrix microenvironments to study and control cellular functions. Recent advances in understanding of both extracellular matrix biology and biomaterial design have shown that biophysical cues are powerful mediators of cell biology, especially that of mesenchymal stromal cells (MSCs). MSCs have been tested in many clinical trials because of their ability to modulate immune cells in different pathological conditions. While roles of biophysical cues in MSC biology have been studied in the context of multilineage differentiation, their significance in regulating immunomodulatory functions of MSCs is just beginning to be elucidated. This review first describes design principles behind how biophysical cues in native microenvironments influence the ability of MSCs to regulate immune cell production and functions. We will then discuss how biophysical cues can be leveraged to optimize cell isolation, priming, and delivery, which can help improve the success of MSC therapy for immunomodulation. Finally, a perspective is presented on how implementing biophysical cues in MSC potency assay can be important in predicting clinical outcomes. STATEMENT OF SIGNIFICANCE: Stromal cells of mesenchymal origin are known to direct immune cell functions in vivo by secreting paracrine mediators. This property has been leveraged in developing mesenchymal stromal cell (MSC)-based therapeutics by adoptive transfer to treat immunological rejection and tissue injuries, which have been tested in over one thousand clinical trials to date, but with mixed success. Advances in biomaterial design have enabled precise control of biophysical cues based on how stromal cells interact with the extracellular matrix in microenvironments in situ. Investigators have begun to use this approach to understand how different matrix biophysical parameters, such as fiber orientation, porosity, dimensionality, and viscoelasticity impact stromal cell-mediated immunomodulation. The insights gained from this effort can potentially be used to precisely define the microenvironmental cues for isolation, priming, and delivery of MSCs, which can be tailored based on different disease indications for optimal therapeutic outcomes.
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