Aligned nanofibrillar collagen regulates endothelial organization and migration
Related Experiment Video
Updated: May 18, 2026

Production of Nanofibrillar Patterned Collagen for Tissue Engineering
Published on: September 20, 2024
Edwina S Lai1, Ngan F Huang, John P Cooke
1Department of Chemical Engineering, Stanford University, 380 North-South Mall, Stanford, CA 94305, USA.
Aim:
Modulating endothelial cell (EC) morphology and motility, with the aim to influence their biology, might be beneficial for the treatment of vascular disease. We examined the effect of nanoscale matrix anisotropy on EC organization and migration for vascular tissue engineering applications.
Materials & Methods:
We developed a flow processing technique to generate anisotropic nanofibrillar collagen. Human ECs were cultured on aligned or on randomly oriented collagen, and their cellular alignment and cytoskeletal organization were characterized by immunofluorescence staining and time-lapse microscopy.
Results:
ECs were elongated along the direction of aligned collagen nanofibrils and had organized focal adhesions. Cellular protrusion migrated with greater directionality and higher velocity along the anisotropic nanofibrils compared with cells on random nanofibrils. The flow technique can be adapted to fabricate vascular grafts that support the endothelial phenotype.
Conclusion:
Aligned nanofibrillar collagen regulates EC organization and migration, which can significantly contribute to the development of vascular grafts.
Related Concept Videos
Regulation of Angiogenesis and Blood Supply
Cell-matrix's Response to Mechanical Forces
Anchoring junctions mechanically attach a cell to the...
Fibril-associated Collagen
For example, the type II collagen fibrils in cartilage have covalently bound type IX fibril-associated collagens at regular intervals. Other types of fibril-associated collagens are...
Structural Protein Function
Collagen, the most abundant protein in mammals, is found throughout the body. In connective tissue, such as skin, ligaments, and tendons, it provides tensile strength and elasticity. In bones and teeth, it mineralizes to form...
Fibronectins Connect Cells with ECM
Both proteoglycans and collagen are attached to fibronectin proteins, which, in turn, are attached to integrin proteins. These integrin proteins interact with transmembrane...
Cell Migration

