Liquid Crystal‐Induced Myoblast Alignment. Issue 3 (3rd January 2019)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Martella, Daniele; Pattelli, Lorenzo; Matassini, Camilla; Ridi, Francesca; Bonini, Massimo; Paoli, Paolo; Baglioni, Piero; Wiersma, Diederik S.; Parmeggiani, Camilla
• Is Part Of: Advanced healthcare materials. Volume 8:Issue 3(2019)
• Page Start: n/a
• Page End: n/a
• Publication Date: 2019-01-03
• Subjects: biomaterials -- cell alignment -- liquid crystalline alignments -- liquid crystalline network -- muscular tissue engineering; Biomedical materials -- Periodicals; 610.28
• DOI: 10.1002/adhm.201801489
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 2192-2640

Abstract

Abstract: The ability to control cell alignment represents a fundamental requirement toward the production of tissue in vitro but also to create biohybrid materials presenting the functional properties of human organs. However, cell cultures on standard commercial supports do not provide a selective control on the cell organization morphology, and different techniques, such as the use of patterned or stimulated substrates, are developed to induce cellular alignment. In this work, a new approach toward in vitro muscular tissue morphogenesis is presented exploiting liquid crystalline networks. By using smooth polymeric films with planar homogeneous alignment, a certain degree of cellular order is observed in myoblast cultures with direction of higher cell alignment corresponding to the nematic director. The molecular organization inside the polymer determines such effects since no cell organization is observed using homeotropic or isotropic samples. These findings represent the first example of cellular alignment induced by the interaction with a nematic polymeric scaffold, setting the stage for new applications of liquid crystal polymers as active matter to control tissue growth. Abstract : Smooth films of liquid crystalline networks are used as scaffolds able to induce a spontaneous unidirectional alignment in a myoblast culture. By appropriately choosing the molecular alignment of the liquid crystalline monomers, it is possible to drive the cell culture toward a chaotic arrangement or an aligned organization of cells toward mimicking the natural morphogenesis of muscular tissue.