Stiffness anisotropy coordinates supracellular contractility driving long-range myotube-ECM alignment
Nathaniel P Skillin1,2,3, Bruce E Kirkpatrick1,2,3, Katie M Herbert1
1Department of Chemical and Biological Engineering, University of Colorado Boulder, Boulder, CO, 80303, USA.
Substrate stiffness anisotropy guides muscle stem cell alignment and tissue regeneration. This mechanical cue directs collective cell behavior, essential for skeletal muscle development and repair.
Area of Science:
- Biomaterials Science
- Cellular Dynamics
- Tissue Engineering
Background:
- Skeletal muscle regeneration relies on coordinated myoblast behavior.
- Mechanosensitive pathways in muscle stem cells respond to injury-induced stiffness changes.
Conclusions:
- Substrate stiffness anisotropy is a key factor in coordinating collective cellular dynamics for skeletal muscle tissue regeneration.
- Emergent ordering of myotubes is driven by contractility and cell-ECM interactions on anisotropic substrates.
- Findings provide insights into the mechanobiology of skeletal muscle development and repair.
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