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. 2023 Feb 27;19:100593. doi: 10.1016/j.mtbio.2023.100593

Fig. 1.

Fig. 1

Substrate stiffness modulates topographical contact guidance. (A) Schematics of matrix isotropy across a wide range of substrate stiffness (CDM: Cell derived matrix). (B) Snapshots of NIH 3T3 fibroblasts adhering, elongating and aligning on grooves of different stiffness. Scale bar, 20 ​μm. (C) Scheme depicting cell long axis a, short axis b and the angle between the long axis and the grooves θ. (D) Cell elongation and (E) cell alignment index as a function of the substrate stiffness. (F) MDA-MB-231 and T47D single cells spread on polyacrylamide gels with topographical grooves and ridges of increasing stiffness. Scale bar, 50 ​μm. (G) Cell elongation and (H) Alignment index as a function of substrate stiffness. Shadowed regions in (E) and (H) correspond to angles <30°. Data points (Mean ​± ​SE) were fitted as an eye-guide. Statistical significance was assessed by Tukey's tests (D, G and H) and Kruskall-Wallis’ test (E). NIH 3T3 cells N ​≥ ​3 experiments per condition and n ​≥ ​50 ​cells per condition. MDA-MB-231 ​N ​≥ ​2 experiments per condition and n ​≥ ​58 ​cells per condition. T47D cells N ​≥ ​2 experiments per condition and n ​≥ ​22 ​cells per condition. See Tables S1–S3 for the exact number of cells and experiments.