PEER-REVIEWED PUBLICATION

2023

The Combined Effects of Topography and Stiffness on Endothelial Cell Behavior in Microfabricated PDMS Substrates

Mattiassi S, Conner AA, et al.

Cells

University of Waterloo, Nanyang Technological University

RESEARCH SUMMARY

This study investigates how the combined effects of substrate stiffness and microtopography regulate neuronal differentiation and maturation from mouse and human neural progenitor cells. Using a tunable polyacrylamide-based hydrogel system patterned with micron-scale gratings, the authors demonstrate that specific stiffness–topography combinations significantly enhance neuronal lineage commitment, neurite outgrowth, and maturation markers. Softer substrates with intermediate grating dimensions produced the highest neuronal yield and morphological maturity, highlighting the synergistic role of mechanical cues in neural mechanobiology and biomaterial design.

Compressive mechanical characterization of polyacrylamide-based PAA-ACA hydrogels was performed using a CellScale MicroTester. Hydrogels were tested under uniaxial compression in a hydrated PBS bath maintained at 37 °C to determine Young’s modulus across multiple stiffness formulations. These measurements established the mechanical baseline used to correlate substrate stiffness with neural progenitor cell differentiation and maturation outcomes.

AUTHORS

Sabrina Mattiassi, Abigail A. Conner, Fan Feng, Eyleen L. K. Goh, Evelyn K. F. Yim.

PUBLICATION DETAILS

JOURNAL

Cells

YEAR

2023

INSTITUTIONS

University of Waterloo, Nanyang Technological University

COUNTRIES

Canada, Singapore

INSTRUMENT USED

MicroTester

TESTING METHODS

Compression TestingHydrated and Temperature Controlled TestingMicro-Mechanical Testing

RESEARCH APPLICATIONS

Hydrogel Mechanical TestingMechanotransductionNeural Tissue & CNS MechanicsOrgan-On-A-Chip SystemsStem Cell Mechanobiology

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