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Gil-Redondo JC, Weber A, Zbiral B, et al. Substrate stiffness modulates the viscoelastic properties of MCF-7 cells. J Mech Behav Biomed Mater. 2021;125:104979doi: 10.1016/j.jmbbm.2021.104979.
Gil-Redondo, J. C., Weber, A., Zbiral, B., Vivanco, M. D., & Toca-Herrera, J. L. (2022). Substrate stiffness modulates the viscoelastic properties of MCF-7 cells. Journal of the mechanical behavior of biomedical materials, 125104979. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jmbbm.2021.104979
Gil-Redondo, Juan Carlos, et al. "Substrate stiffness modulates the viscoelastic properties of MCF-7 cells." Journal of the mechanical behavior of biomedical materials vol. 125 (2022): 104979. doi: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jmbbm.2021.104979
Gil-Redondo JC, Weber A, Zbiral B, Vivanco MD, Toca-Herrera JL. Substrate stiffness modulates the viscoelastic properties of MCF-7 cells. J Mech Behav Biomed Mater. 2022 Jan;125:104979. doi: 10.1016/j.jmbbm.2021.104979. Epub 2021 Nov 18. PMID: 34826769.
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J Mech Behav Biomed Mater. 2022 Jan;125:104979. doi: 10.1016/j.jmbbm.2021.104979. Epub 2021 Nov 18.

Substrate stiffness modulates the viscoelastic properties of MCF-7 cells.

Journal of the mechanical behavior of biomedical materials

Juan Carlos Gil-Redondo, Andreas Weber, Barbara Zbiral, Maria dM Vivanco, José L Toca-Herrera

Affiliations

  1. Institute of Biophysics, Department of Nanobiotechnology, University of Natural Resources and Life Sciences Vienna, Muthgasse 11, 1190, Vienna, Austria. Electronic address: [email protected].
  2. Institute of Biophysics, Department of Nanobiotechnology, University of Natural Resources and Life Sciences Vienna, Muthgasse 11, 1190, Vienna, Austria. Electronic address: [email protected].
  3. Institute of Biophysics, Department of Nanobiotechnology, University of Natural Resources and Life Sciences Vienna, Muthgasse 11, 1190, Vienna, Austria. Electronic address: [email protected].
  4. Cancer Heterogeneity Lab, CIC BioGUNE, Basque Research and Technology Alliance, BRTA, Bizkaia Technology Park, 48160, Derio, Spain. Electronic address: [email protected].
  5. Institute of Biophysics, Department of Nanobiotechnology, University of Natural Resources and Life Sciences Vienna, Muthgasse 11, 1190, Vienna, Austria. Electronic address: [email protected].

PMID: 34826769 DOI: 10.1016/j.jmbbm.2021.104979

Abstract

Cells sense stiffness of surrounding tissues and adapt their activity, proliferation, motility and mechanical properties based on such interactions. Cells probe the stiffness of the substrate by anchoring and pulling to their surroundings, transmitting force to the extracellular matrix and other cells, and respond to the resistance they sense, mainly through changes in their cytoskeleton. Cancer and other diseases alter stiffness of tissues, and the response of cancer cells to this stiffness can also be affected. In the present study we show that MCF-7 breast cancer cells seeded on polyacrylamide gels have the ability to detect the stiffness of the substrate and alter their mechanical properties in response. MCF-7 cells plated on soft substrates display lower stiffness and viscosity when compared to those seeded on stiffer gels or glass. These differences can be associated with differences in the morphology and cytoskeleton organisation, since cells seeded on soft substrates have a round morphology, while cells seeded on stiffer substrates acquire a flat and spread morphology with formation of actin filaments, similar to that observed when seeded on glass. These findings show that MCF-7 cells can detect the stiffness of the surrounding microenvironment and thus, modify their mechanical properties.

Copyright © 2021 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Ltd.. All rights reserved.

Keywords: Atomic force microscopy; Breast cancer; MCF-7; Rheology; Stress-relaxation; Substrate stiffness; Zener and power law models

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