“Mechanobio-Materials”: Design of Micropatterned Elastic Gels To Control Cell Mechanotaxis and Motility-Related Functions

Abstract

Cell functions are known to be regulated not only by the biochemical or physiological conditions of extracellular milieu but also by the mechanical conditions of substrate surface or extracellular matrix. The detailed understandings for the cellular responses induced by such mechanical field or mechanical stimuli, and its application for systematic design of mechanical field of cell culture substrate are expected to establish solid basis for constructing high-functional cell manipulation materials. To develop such biomaterials that manipulate cell mechanobiology, we focus on the control of mechanical taxis of cell movement, mechanotaxis, by the micropatterned elastic gels. The potential application of the systematic design of micromechanical field of elastic substrate for cell functional regulation is discussed.