The Mechanical Interplay Between Differentiating Mesenchymal Stem Cells and Gelatin-Based Substrates Measured by Atomic Force Microscopy
Traditional methods to assess hMSCs differentiation typically require long-term culture until cells show marked expression of histological markers such as lipid accumulation inside the cytoplasm or mineral deposition onto the surrounding matrix. In parallel, stem cell differentiation has been shown...
| Main Authors: | , , |
|---|---|
| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
Frontiers Media S.A.
2021-06-01
|
| Series: | Frontiers in Cell and Developmental Biology |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fcell.2021.697525/full |
| _version_ | 1819102607364325376 |
|---|---|
| author | Hongxu Meng Tina T. Chowdhury Núria Gavara Núria Gavara |
| author_facet | Hongxu Meng Tina T. Chowdhury Núria Gavara Núria Gavara |
| author_sort | Hongxu Meng |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Traditional methods to assess hMSCs differentiation typically require long-term culture until cells show marked expression of histological markers such as lipid accumulation inside the cytoplasm or mineral deposition onto the surrounding matrix. In parallel, stem cell differentiation has been shown to involve the reorganization of the cell’s cytoskeleton shortly after differentiation induced by soluble factors. Given the cytoskeleton’s role in determining the mechanical properties of adherent cells, the mechanical characterization of stem cells could thus be a potential tool to assess cellular commitment at much earlier time points. In this study, we measured the mechanical properties of hMSCs cultured on soft gelatin-based hydrogels at multiple time points after differentiation induction toward adipogenic or osteogenic lineages. Our results show that the mechanical properties of cells (stiffness and viscosity) and the organization of the actin cytoskeleton are highly correlated with lineage commitment. Most importantly, we also found that the mechanical properties and the topography of the gelatin substrate in the vicinity of the cells are also altered as differentiation progresses toward the osteogenic lineage, but not on the adipogenic case. Together, these results confirm the biophysical changes associated with stem cell differentiation and suggest a mechanical interplay between the differentiating stem cells and their surrounding extracellular matrix. |
| first_indexed | 2024-12-22T01:37:15Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-992d28f932974976a4e03595931a0a08 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2296-634X |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-12-22T01:37:15Z |
| publishDate | 2021-06-01 |
| publisher | Frontiers Media S.A. |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Frontiers in Cell and Developmental Biology |
| spelling | doaj.art-992d28f932974976a4e03595931a0a082022-12-21T18:43:20ZengFrontiers Media S.A.Frontiers in Cell and Developmental Biology2296-634X2021-06-01910.3389/fcell.2021.697525697525The Mechanical Interplay Between Differentiating Mesenchymal Stem Cells and Gelatin-Based Substrates Measured by Atomic Force MicroscopyHongxu Meng0Tina T. Chowdhury1Núria Gavara2Núria Gavara3School of Engineering and Materials Science, Queen Mary University of London, London, United KingdomSchool of Engineering and Materials Science, Queen Mary University of London, London, United KingdomSchool of Engineering and Materials Science, Queen Mary University of London, London, United KingdomUnit of Biophysics and Bioengineering, Medical School, University of Barcelona, Barcelona, SpainTraditional methods to assess hMSCs differentiation typically require long-term culture until cells show marked expression of histological markers such as lipid accumulation inside the cytoplasm or mineral deposition onto the surrounding matrix. In parallel, stem cell differentiation has been shown to involve the reorganization of the cell’s cytoskeleton shortly after differentiation induced by soluble factors. Given the cytoskeleton’s role in determining the mechanical properties of adherent cells, the mechanical characterization of stem cells could thus be a potential tool to assess cellular commitment at much earlier time points. In this study, we measured the mechanical properties of hMSCs cultured on soft gelatin-based hydrogels at multiple time points after differentiation induction toward adipogenic or osteogenic lineages. Our results show that the mechanical properties of cells (stiffness and viscosity) and the organization of the actin cytoskeleton are highly correlated with lineage commitment. Most importantly, we also found that the mechanical properties and the topography of the gelatin substrate in the vicinity of the cells are also altered as differentiation progresses toward the osteogenic lineage, but not on the adipogenic case. Together, these results confirm the biophysical changes associated with stem cell differentiation and suggest a mechanical interplay between the differentiating stem cells and their surrounding extracellular matrix.https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fcell.2021.697525/fullstem cellsAFMbiomechanicsbiomaterialosteogenesis |
| spellingShingle | Hongxu Meng Tina T. Chowdhury Núria Gavara Núria Gavara The Mechanical Interplay Between Differentiating Mesenchymal Stem Cells and Gelatin-Based Substrates Measured by Atomic Force Microscopy Frontiers in Cell and Developmental Biology stem cells AFM biomechanics biomaterial osteogenesis |
| title | The Mechanical Interplay Between Differentiating Mesenchymal Stem Cells and Gelatin-Based Substrates Measured by Atomic Force Microscopy |
| title_full | The Mechanical Interplay Between Differentiating Mesenchymal Stem Cells and Gelatin-Based Substrates Measured by Atomic Force Microscopy |
| title_fullStr | The Mechanical Interplay Between Differentiating Mesenchymal Stem Cells and Gelatin-Based Substrates Measured by Atomic Force Microscopy |
| title_full_unstemmed | The Mechanical Interplay Between Differentiating Mesenchymal Stem Cells and Gelatin-Based Substrates Measured by Atomic Force Microscopy |
| title_short | The Mechanical Interplay Between Differentiating Mesenchymal Stem Cells and Gelatin-Based Substrates Measured by Atomic Force Microscopy |
| title_sort | mechanical interplay between differentiating mesenchymal stem cells and gelatin based substrates measured by atomic force microscopy |
| topic | stem cells AFM biomechanics biomaterial osteogenesis |
| url | https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fcell.2021.697525/full |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT hongxumeng themechanicalinterplaybetweendifferentiatingmesenchymalstemcellsandgelatinbasedsubstratesmeasuredbyatomicforcemicroscopy AT tinatchowdhury themechanicalinterplaybetweendifferentiatingmesenchymalstemcellsandgelatinbasedsubstratesmeasuredbyatomicforcemicroscopy AT nuriagavara themechanicalinterplaybetweendifferentiatingmesenchymalstemcellsandgelatinbasedsubstratesmeasuredbyatomicforcemicroscopy AT nuriagavara themechanicalinterplaybetweendifferentiatingmesenchymalstemcellsandgelatinbasedsubstratesmeasuredbyatomicforcemicroscopy AT hongxumeng mechanicalinterplaybetweendifferentiatingmesenchymalstemcellsandgelatinbasedsubstratesmeasuredbyatomicforcemicroscopy AT tinatchowdhury mechanicalinterplaybetweendifferentiatingmesenchymalstemcellsandgelatinbasedsubstratesmeasuredbyatomicforcemicroscopy AT nuriagavara mechanicalinterplaybetweendifferentiatingmesenchymalstemcellsandgelatinbasedsubstratesmeasuredbyatomicforcemicroscopy AT nuriagavara mechanicalinterplaybetweendifferentiatingmesenchymalstemcellsandgelatinbasedsubstratesmeasuredbyatomicforcemicroscopy |