Controlled Deposition of 3D Matrices to Direct Single Cell Functions

Advanced Science

Zhe Feng¹  James C. Lee²  Celine Macaraniag²  Zhangli Peng²  Stephen Lenzini³  Sing Wan Wong³  Raymond Bargi³  Jae‐Won Shin³ 

[1] Department of Aerospace and Mechanical Engineering University of Notre Dame Notre Dame IN 46556 USA;Department of Bioengineering University of Illinois at Chicago Chicago IL 60607 USA;Department of Pharmacology and Regenerative Medicine University of Illinois at Chicago Chicago IL 60612 USA;

关键词: droplet microfluidics;    hydrogels;    precision cell engineering;    single cell engineering;    stem cells;   

DOI  :  10.1002/advs.202001066

来源: DOAJ

【 摘 要 】

Abstract Advances in engineered hydrogels reveal how cells sense and respond to 3D biophysical cues. However, most studies rely on interfacing a population of cells in a tissue‐scale bulk hydrogel, an approach that overlooks the heterogeneity of local matrix deposition around individual cells. A droplet microfluidic technique to deposit a defined amount of 3D hydrogel matrices around single cells independently of material composition, elasticity, and stress relaxation times is developed. Mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) undergo isotropic volume expansion more rapidly in thinner gels that present an Arg‐Gly‐Asp integrin ligand. Mathematical modeling and experiments show that MSCs experience higher membrane tension as they expand in thinner gels. Furthermore, thinner gels facilitate osteogenic differentiation of MSCs. By modulating ion channels, it is shown that isotropic volume expansion of single cells predicts intracellular tension and stem cell fate. The results suggest the utility of precise microscale gel deposition to control single cell functions.

【 授权许可】

Unknown