Effect of patterned polyacrylamide hydrogel on morphology and orientation of cultured NRVMs

Abstract

We recently demonstrated that patterned Parylene C films could be effectively used as a mask for directly copolymerizing proteins on polyacrylamide hydrogel (PAm). In this work, we have proved the applicability of this technique for studying the effect such platforms render on neonatal rat ventricular myocytes (NRVMs). Firstly, we have characterised topographically and mechanically the scaffolds in liquid at the nano-scale level. We thus establish that such platforms have physical properties that closely mimics the in vivo extracellular environment of cells. We have then studied the cell morphology and physiology by comparing cultures on flat uniformly-covered and collagen-patterned scaffolds. We show that micro-patterns promote the elongation of cells along the principal axis of the ridges coated with collagen. In several cases, cells also tend to create bridges across the grooves. We have finally studied cell contraction, monitoring Ca2+ cycling at a certain stimulation. Cells seeded on patterned scaffolds present significant responses in comparison to the isotropic ones.

Effect of Substrate Stiffness on Redox State of Single Cardiomyocyte: A Scanning Electrochemical Microscopy Study

“…PA gels for culturing cardiomyocytes were prepared according to the previous reports. , Typically, a precursor solution containing acrylamide monomers MBA, APS, and TEMED was prepared. For preparing the PA gels with a stiffness of ∼6, 20, and 90 kPa, the mass/volume concentrations of APS and TEMED were all kept at 0.1% and the acrylamide(%)/MBA(%) ratios were varied to 0/0.03, 20/0.4, and 20/0.6, respectively.…”

Multiplexing physical stimulation on single human induced pluripotent stem cell-derived cardiomyocytes for phenotype modulation

“…polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) [29], PAAm [30,31], polyacrylamide-co-acrylic acid (PAAm-co-PAAc) [32] or gold nanomaterials [33]). PAAm has been one of the most widely exploited hydrogels for studying mechanotransduction in CMs because it can be fabricated with wide range of stiffnesses, is easy to control over a large area, and is optically transparent [34,35]. Incorporation of acrylic acid into PAAm hydrogels (PAAm-co-PAAc) ensures robust functionalization with proteins, eliminating unreliable UV exposure methods [36].…”

Relationship between Bulk Physicochemical Properties and Surface Wettability of Hydrogels with Homogeneous Network Structure

“…The unique physicochemical properties of hydrogels such as hydrophilicity greatly contributes to them stealing the recent limelight as safe, smart, and versatile biomaterial in various fields such as cell culturing, − drug delivery, − and tissue engineering. − Recently, the potential of hydrogel as cell scaffold has been attracting much attention, owing to its ability to program cell behaviors such as adhesion, proliferation, and fate, by controlling its surface and bulk properties. − Of these properties, surface wettability has been known to be one of the parameters that critically affect such behaviors . Excellent results in increasing surface wettability through various methods such as introduction of charged groups within the hydrogel bulk, surface functionalization, and fabrication of hydrogel using hydrophilic polymers have been reported, and are now widely accepted standards of wettability modulation.…”