ECM ligands type and substrate stiffness regulate 3T3 Fibroblast cell traction force
Mina Shojaeizadeh (WPI), Qian Xuyu (WPI), Jared Franklin (WPI), Qi Wen (WPI)
Mechanics and Physics of Biological Cells
Tue 9:00 - 10:30
Barus-Holley 141
Mechanical interactions between cells and their microenvironment play an important role in vital cellular functions such as migration and signal transduction. A previous study show that A7 melanoma cells respond differently to stiffness of collagen coated substrates than to stiffness of fibronectin coated substrates [1]. Therefore, we hypothesize that, by regulating the internal signaling through integrins, the ECM ligand type affects the cell contractile force. To test this hypothesis, we measure cell traction force (CTF) as a function of substrate stiffness for 3T3 fibroblasts cultured on polyacrylamide gels coated with different types of ECM ligands. Traction force and cell area increase as substrate stiffness increases for cells on both fibronectin-coated and collagen-coated gels; however, magnitude of CTF varies with ligand type. Interestingly, cells cultured on 3.5 kPa FN coated gels exerted more traction force than cells on either collagen or laminin coated gels (average of 197 nN for Fibronectin compared with 35.4 nN for collagen and 42.7 nN for laminin). This dependence of CTF on ECM ligand type is likely due to activation of different integrins via different ligand types that modulates this change in the cell response. (1) F. J. Byfield et al, Biophysical Journal, 96, 5095-5102, (2009)