Fabrication of reconfigurable protein matrices by cracking
- 17 April 2005
- journal article
- letter
- Published by Springer Science and Business Media LLC in Nature Materials
- Vol. 4 (5), 403-406
- https://doi.org/10.1038/nmat1365
Abstract
The interface between extracellular matrices and cells is a dynamic environment that is crucial for regulating important cellular processes such as signal transduction, growth, differentiation, motility and apoptosis1. In vitro cellular studies and the development of new biomaterials would benefit from matrices that allow reversible modulation of the cell adhesive signals at a scale that is commensurate with individual adhesion complexes. Here, we describe the fabrication of substrates containing arrays of cracks in which cell-adhesive proteins are selectively adsorbed. The widths of the cracks (120–3,200 nm) are similar in size to individual adhesion complexes (typically 500–3,000 nm)2 and can be modulated by adjusting the mechanical strain applied to the substrate. Morphology of cells can be reversibly manipulated multiple times through in situ adjustment of crack widths and hence the amount of the cell-adhesive proteins accessible to the cell. These substrates provide a new tool for assessing cellular responses associated with exposure to matrix proteins.Keywords
This publication has 29 references indexed in Scilit:
- Activation of Integrin Function by Nanopatterned Adhesive InterfacesChemphyschem, 2004
- Dynamic Interfaces between Cells and Surfaces: Electroactive Substrates that Sequentially Release and Attach CellsJournal of the American Chemical Society, 2003
- Photocontrol of Cell Adhesion Processes: Model Studies with Cyclic Azobenzene-RGD PeptidesCell Chemical Biology, 2003
- Taking Cell-Matrix Adhesions to the Third DimensionScience, 2001
- Conjugate Addition Reactions Combined with Free-Radical Cross-Linking for the Design of Materials for Tissue EngineeringBiomacromolecules, 2001
- Focal Adhesion Motility Revealed in Stationary FibroblastsScience, 1999
- Geometric control of switching between growth, apoptosis, and differentiation during angiogenesis using micropatterned substratesIn Vitro Cellular & Developmental Biology – Animal, 1999
- Integrin SignalingScience, 1999
- Geometric Control of Cell Life and DeathScience, 1997
- Mechanism of cell detachment from temperature-modulated, hydrophilic-hydrophobic polymer surfacesBiomaterials, 1995