Mechanical confinement inhibits collagen synthesis in gel-cultured fibroblasts

Collagen synthesis in fibroblasts cultivated in collagen lattices is known to be repressed compared to synthesis in monolayer cultures on plastic. Inhibition of synthesis is supposed to be due to interactions between the plasma membrane and adjacent collagen fibrils. To evaluate how collagen synthesis is regulated in gel-cultured cells we cultivated fibroblasts within gels of polymerized alginate in which preexisting extracellular matrix components, e.g., type I collagen fibrils, were lacking. When alginate gels were examined at the ultrastructural level, normal collagen fibrils were not observed. However, broad sheets of microfibrillar material and so-called zebra bodies were found. The amount of collagen synthesized by fibroblasts in calcium alginate gels remained constant during the entire culture time and was about 70% of that produced in monolayer-cultured cells. This value corresponded to levels found in fully retracted collagen lattices on day 7 of culture. Our data suggest that interactions between the plasma membrane and adjacent collagen fibrils are not necessary for the inhibition of collagen synthesis. Thus, we present data that mechanical confinement is capable of inhibiting collagen synthesis in fibroblasts.