Mechano-regulatory cellular behaviors of NIH/3T3 in response to the storage modulus of liquid crystalline substrates

- Novel type of liquid crystalline substrates (OPC) with tunable storage modulus were fabricated.
- OPC mimic in vivo extracellular matrix by exhibiting viscoelasticity and liquid crystalline state.
- NIH/3T3s were highly sensitive to the elasticity of OPC substrates.
- NIH/3T3s responded to mechanical stimuli of OPC substrates probably through paxillin-ERK pathway.
- OPC substrates with intermediate modulus facilitated cellular adhesion and proliferation.