FIG. 3.

Engineering techniques to study the mechanobiology of fibroblast activation. Fibroblasts experience diverse mechanical stresses in cancer and fibrosis. These mechanical stresses have been investigated through 2D and 3D systems. Engineering techniques that have been used to study fibroblast activation include the use of (a) hydrogels to vary stiffness, (b) PDMS to stretch fibroblasts, (c) weight to compress fibroblasts, (d) electrospun fibers to create matrices with varied density, and (e) micropatterned surfaces to create random and aligned topographies. These platforms have shown that dynamic changes in stiffness, stretch, compression, density, and alignment can promote fibroblast activation.