Figure 2.

HCC cells cultured in a monolayer or in collagen hydrogels of varying stiffness. (A) Experimental procedure outline. Cells were allowed to adhere and reach their native morphology before the treatment for 24 or 48 hours. (B) Compression modulus of the HCC hydrogels with 4 and 7 mg/ml collagen concentrations, which replicate normal and cirrhotic tissues, respectively. The compression modulus did not vary when different HCC cells were cultured in collagen hydrogels. Compression modulus values were significantly different when different collagen concentrations were used to replicate normal and cirrhotic conditions. Dashed lines represent patient compression modulus of healthy (magenta) and cirrhotic (magenta) tissues (43, 44). Selected collagen concentrations replicated native tissues successfully at different preload strains. *p < 0.05, **p < 0.01.