Astrocyte spreading and migration on aggrecan-laminin dot gradients

作者：Hsiao Tony W; Tresco Patrick A; Hlady Vladimir^*

来源：Biointerphases: An Open Access Journal for the Biomaterials Interface Community , 2018, 13(1): 01A401.

DOI：10.1116/1.5001675

The surface concentration gradient of two extracellular matrix (ECM) macromolecules was developed to study the migratory and morphological responses of astrocytes to molecular cues typically found in the central nervous system injury environment. The gradient, prepared using microcontact printing, was composed of randomly positioned micrometer-sized dots of aggrecan (AGG) printed on a substrate uniformly coated with laminin (LN). AGG dots were printed in an increasing number along the 1000 mu m long and 50 mu m wide gradient area which had on each end either a full surface coverage of AGG or LN. Each dot gradient was surrounded by a 100 mu m-wide uniform field of AGG printed over laminin. Seeded astrocytes were found to predominantly attach to LN regions on the gradient. Cellular extensions of these cells were longer than the similar processes for cells seeded on uniform substrates of AGG or LN serving as controls. Astrocyte extensions were the largest and spanned a distance of 150 mu m when the cells were attached to the mixed AGG+LN patches on the gradient. As evidenced by their increased area and perimeter, the cells extended processes in a stellate fashion upon initial attachment and maintained extensions when seeded in AGG+LN regions but not on uniform laminin controls. The cells migrated short distances, similar to 20-35 mu m, over 24 h and in doing so preferentially shifted from AGG areas to higher LN surface coverage regions. The results indicated that presenting mixed ECM cues caused astrocytes to sample larger areas of the substrate and made the cells to preferentially relocate to a more permissive ECM region.

• 出版日期2018-2