Article ID | Journal | Published Year | Pages | File Type |
---|---|---|---|---|
5788627 | Science Bulletin | 2017 | 18 Pages |
Abstract
In this work, we developed a simple method to fabricate a thickness-based continuous stiffness gradient for biological studies. It was made by glass slides, polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) pre-polymer, spacer and clips only, without any sophisticated equipment. It is easy to fabricate in any general biological and pharmaceutical laboratories. The stiffness gradient was characterized in terms of apparent Young's modulus by atomic force microscopy (AFM) and the Young's modulus along the gradient was found to be 8.5-120Â kPa, which is within the physiological relevant range. HeLa-C3 cells were cultured on the gradient to study their morphological behavior according to the substrate stiffness. Furthermore, the drug efficiency of etoposide, an anti-cancer drug, was studied along the substrate stiffness gradient. It was found that HeLa-C3 cells cultured on the soft region of the gradient (8.5-11Â kPa) are more sensitive to etoposide. We believe the proposed device could promote cell investigations and drug screenings on a substrate with comparable stiffness to the native tissue.
Related Topics
Physical Sciences and Engineering
Chemistry
Chemistry (General)
Authors
Yiwei Shu, Ho Nam Chan, Dongshi Guan, Hongkai Wu, Lan Ma,