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Simple yet effective methods to probe hydrogel stiffness for mechanobiology
Alessandro Gandin1, Yaswanth Murugesan2, Veronica Torresan1
1Department of Industrial Engineering, University of Padova and INSTM, via Marzolo 9, 35131, Padova, Italy.
Scientific Reports
|November 23, 2021
Summary
This study introduces simple, low-cost methods for measuring hydrogel stiffness, crucial for mechanobiology research. These accessible tools enable broader implementation of mechanobiology assays in cell biology labs.
Area of Science:
- Biophysics
- Cell Biology
- Materials Science
Background:
- Mechanobiology assays are vital for understanding cell behavior but are often complex.
- Assessing hydrogel stiffness, essential for these assays, typically requires expensive material science techniques.
- This limits the widespread adoption of mechanobiology in cell biology research.
Purpose of the Study:
- To present straightforward, low-cost, high-throughput protocols for measuring hydrogel stiffness.
- To overcome the bottleneck of complex stiffness assessment in mechanobiology.
- To enable broader implementation of mechanobiology assays in biological laboratories.
Main Methods:
- Developed and validated protocols for static macroindentation and micropipette aspiration to measure hydrogel stiffness.
- Provided theoretical modeling and practical guidance for setting up and interpreting results.
- Utilized YAP/TAZ nuclear localization as a biological readout for mechanosensing.
Main Results:
- Consistent results were obtained when comparing the novel methods with established techniques like atomic force microscopy, uniaxial compression, and rheometric analysis.
- The developed protocols were validated on polyacrylamide (PAA) hydrogels and their modifications.
- The study demonstrated the utility of YAP/TAZ as sensitive biological indicators of mechanosensing.
Conclusions:
- The presented protocols offer accessible, cost-effective, and reliable methods for determining hydrogel stiffness.
- These tools can significantly lower the barrier for cell biologists to perform mechanobiology experiments.
- The suite of biologically and theoretically validated protocols facilitates the integration of mechanobiology into standard biological laboratories.
