Figure 1. Conducting polymers enable control over Fn conformation.

In the presence of tumor-derived soluble factors, adipogenic stromal cells deposit ECMs that vary with regard to quantity, composition, mechanical properties, and conformation of component proteins including Fn. While a variety of approaches have been developed to study the isolated effects of ECM quantity, composition, and stiffness, there is a lack of culture models for investigating cell behavior in response to specific ECM conformations. Conducting polymer devices made from thin film pixels of PEDOT:PSS overcome this shortcoming and permit control over Fn conformation in isolation [23], enabling studies of how changes in Fn conformation direct cell responses.