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Control of cellular orientation in two-dimensional tissue formation. Surface topologic effect of collagen fibers on
1Department of Biomedical Engineering, National Cardiovascular Center Research Institute, Osaka, Japan.
Abstract:
The authors studied the effect of polymorphous states of collagen on in vitro cellular orientation of bovine aortic endothelial cells (ECs). Little orientation of adherent ECs was observed on a nonoriented collagen coated surface, irrespective of culture period. Only ECs that adhered to fiber bundles 10 microns in diameter exhibited cellular elongation or alignment. The collagen membrane with highly oriented fine fibers provided no cellular alignment for ECs in sparse culture. Resultant confluent monolayers, however, were characterized by cellular orientation, suggesting that surface microtopology of collagen induces cellular orientation on incubation. Control of cellular orientation would be an elementary requirement for cell seeding technology leading to hybrid artificial organs.