Investigation of cellular curvature recognition and response mechanism based on cellular traction force measurement

2023 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 21K18041
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Early-Career Scientists
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Review Section: Basic Section 90110:Biomedical engineering-related
• Research Institution: Keio University
• Principal Investigator: Yamashita Tadahiro 慶應義塾大学, 理工学部(矢上), 准教授 (00827339)
• Project Period (FY): 2021-04-01 – 2024-03-31
• Keywords: 血管平滑筋細胞 / 曲率 / 表現型

Outline of Final Research Achievements

We developed a new measurement technique of cellular traction force applied onto the cell adhering surface with a curvature of several hundred microns. We then investigated the influence of the substrate curvature onto the collective cellular deformation and phenotype change. The substrate curvature at several hundred microns did not have a considerable impact on the cellular traction force. On the other hand, such substrate curvature significantly changed the expression levels of cellular phenotype marker including alpha Smooth muscle actin. These findings will be of importance in designing scaffold material with curvatures that aim to control cellular complex behaviours in tissue engineering in the future.

Free Research Field

生体医工学

Academic Significance and Societal Importance of the Research Achievements

本研究成果により、これまでに細胞の振る舞いに影響を与えることがないと考えられてきた培養面のわずかな曲率が、細胞の集団的な変形や表現型の変化に強い影響を与えることが明らかになった。凹状曲面上で細胞の変形挙動がシンプルな力学に従って剥離・凝集挙動を示す一方で、凸状曲面上に存在する細胞は細胞内小器官の変形をきっかけにその表現型を変えることを示唆する結果が得られた。本研究を通じて得られた成果は、組織工学や再生医療において、複雑な形状の足場を製作し、細胞の振る舞いを望み通りに誘導するための基盤的な知見となることが期待される。