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Updated: Feb 4, 2026
Studying the Effects of Matrix Stiffness on Cellular Function using Acrylamide-based Hydrogels
Published on: August 10, 2010
Effects of acrylate/acrylamide polymers on the adhesion, growth and differentiation of Muse cells
Li Wang1,2, Li Xiao1, Ru-Zhi Zhang1
1Department of Dermatology and Venereology, the Third Affiliated Hospital of Soochow University, Changzhou 213000, People's Republic of China.
Background:
Acrylate/acrylamide copolymers have excellent optical properties and biocompatibility and are ideal biomaterials that have been widely used in tissue engineering. Multilineage-differentiating stress-enduring cells (Muse cells) are a specific subset of mesenchymal stem cells that have an excellent potential for the regenerative medicine.
Objective:
This study was designed to investigate the effects of acrylate/acrylamide copolymers on the adhesion, proliferation and pluripotent-like properties of Muse cells, which were derived from normal human dermal fibroblasts by long-term trypsin incubation.
Methods:
In an initial experiment, Muse cells were seeded on primary microarrays containing micro-spots of 275 different mixtures of acrylate/acrylamide. Each mixture was composed of two of 11 different monomers in various proportions, and was replicated in four micro-spots each. According to the adhesion and growth characteristics of Muse cells on those substrates, specific polymer candidates for Muse cells were selected and secondary microarrays were prepared. We then observed the effects of those specific polymer candidates on the adherence, proliferation and differentiation of Muse cells and suitable candidates for their optimal culture were identified.
Results:
According to the adhesion and growth patterns of Muse cells on the primary microarrays, ten suitable mixtures of acrylate/acrylamide copolymers were identified. Muse cells grew well on six of those combinations and around the four other combinations of those polymer mixtures. Muse cells cultured on three of those combinations proliferated and differentiated into long spindle-shaped cells that looked like fibroblasts, while Muse cells cultured on one combination formed clusters that were ring-shaped. Muse cells cultured on some of those combinations of acrylate/acrylamide proliferated and formed clusters that appeared to be very healthy, whereas Muse cells cultured on other combinations formed clusters that expanded outwards.
Conclusions:
These results identified a polymer combination that was optimum for the adhesion, proliferation and maintenance of Muse cells in an undifferentiated state.
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