Inherent Interfacial Mechanical Gradients in 3D Hydrogels Influence Tumor Cell Behaviors

Cells sense and respond to the rigidity of their microenvironment by altering their morphology and migration behavior. To examine this response, hydrogels with a range of moduli or mechanical gradients have been developed. Here, we show that edge effects inherent in hydrogels supported on rigid substrates also influence cell behavior. A Matrigel hydrogel was supported on a rigid glass substrate, an interface which computational techniques revealed to yield relative stiffening close to the rigid substrate support. To explore the influence of these gradients in 3D, hydrogels of varying Matrigel content were synthesized and the morphology, spreading, actin organization, and migration of glioblastoma multiforme (GBM) tumor cells were examined at the lowest (<50 µm) and highest (>500 µm) gel positions. GBMs adopted bipolar morphologies, displayed actin stress fiber formation, and evidenced fast, mesenchymal migration close to the substrate, whereas away from the interface, they adopted more rounded or ellipsoid morphologies, displayed poor actin architecture, and evidenced slow migration with some amoeboid characteristics. Mechanical gradients produced via edge effects could be observed with other hydrogels and substrates and permit observation of responses to multiple mechanical environments in a single hydrogel. Thus, hydrogel-support edge effects could be used to explore mechanosensitivity in a single 3D hydrogel system and should be considered in 3D hydrogel cell culture systems

Monitoring neuron and astrocyte interactions with a 3D cell culture system

Methods are described for the generation and analysis of 3D co-culture models in which astrocyte and neuronal behavior can be studied. Cells may be obtained from a variety of sources, then cultured within collagen hydrogels to explore cellular responses and interactions in response to substances under test or under conditions that mimic physiological or pathological environments. Cell populations are labelled then either mixed within gels or arranged as separate adjacent populations, with further options including directing the self-alignment of cells to form anisotropic 3D cultures. Immunofluorescence staining and confocal microscopy can be used to capture image data from 3D structures and detailed protocols are provided for obtaining reliable results. Finally, 3D image analysis of confocal microscopy data is discussed, providing guidance on how astrocyte and neuronal features can be quantified

Rapid casting of patterned vascular networks for perfusable engineered three-dimensional tissues

In the absence of perfusable vascular networks, three-dimensional (3D) engineered tissues densely populated with cells quickly develop a necrotic core. Yet the lack of a general approach to rapidly construct such networks remains a major challenge for 3D tissue culture. Here, we printed rigid 3D filament networks of carbohydrate glass, and used them as a cytocompatible sacrificial template in engineered tissues containing living cells to generate cylindrical networks that could be lined with endothelial cells and perfused with blood under high-pressure pulsatile flow. Because this simple vascular casting approach allows independent control of network geometry, endothelialization and extravascular tissue, it is compatible with a wide variety of cell types, synthetic and natural extracellular matrices, and crosslinking strategies. We also demonstrated that the perfused vascular channels sustained the metabolic function of primary rat hepatocytes in engineered tissue constructs that otherwise exhibited suppressed function in their core.National Institutes of Health (U.S.) (Grant EB00262)National Institutes of Health (U.S.) (Grant EB08396)National Institutes of Health (U.S.) (Grant GM74048)University of Pennsylvania (Center for Engineering Cells and Regeneration)American Heart Association (Jon Holden DeHaan Foundation)National Institutes of Health (U.S.). Ruth L. Kirschstein National Research Service Award (DK091007