PhotoCol Stiffness Gradients

Publication Title:

Individual Cells Generate Their Own Self-Reinforcing Contact Guidance Cues Through Local Matrix Fiber Remodeling

Advanced BioMatrix Products Used: 

PhotoCol® Methacrylated Collagen

How the products were used:

PhotoCol^® Methacrylated Collagen was used to create 3D hydrogels with a stiffness gradient - accomplished through photocrosslinking. Durotaxis cues were then evaluated on HT-1080 Fibrosarcoma cells.

Article Conclusion:

The results demonstrate that the bi-directional relationship between cell remodeling and migration is not a “dimensionality” effect, but a fundamental effect of fibrous substrate structure. The forces generated by many migrating cells cause fiber alignment, which in turn promotes further migration in the direction of fiber alignment via contact guidance and durotaxis.

Link to the publication: 

https://journals.plos.org/plosone/article?id=10.1371/journal.pone.0265403