Name: the mechanics of (poro-)elastic contractile actomyosin networks as a model system of the cell cytoskeleton
Uploaded: 2023-03-10T12:45:00
Description: Watch this Scientific Journal Video about The Mechanics of Poro-Elastic Contractile Actomyosin Networks As a Model System of the Cell Cytoskeleton at JoVE.com

We would like to thank Dina Aranovich for protein purification and labelling. G.L. is grateful to the Israel Ministry of Science, Technology and Space for the Jabotinsky PhD Scholarship. A.B.G. is grateful to the Israel Science Foundation (grant 2101/20) and to the Ministry of Science and Technology - State of Israel (grant 3-17491) for financial support.

1. Glass surface treatment and passivation:
NOTE: This section includes three major steps (see Figure 1): (i) cleaning and hydrophilization, (ii) silanization, and (iii) surface passivation.
<ol>
	<li>Cleaning and hydrophilization
	<ol>
		<li>Use Piranha solution for glass surface cleaning. 
		NOTE: Piranha solution is a mixture of 30% H2O2 and 70% H2SO4 (Table of Materials). Its prime goal is to ...

<ol>
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R., Kroy, K. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=A+bottom-up+approach+to+cell+mechanics.">A bottom-up approach to cell mechanics.</a> Nature Physics. 2 (4), 231-238 (2006).</li><li>Moeendarbary, E., et al. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=The+cytoplasm+of+living+cells+behaves+as+a+poroelastic+material.">The cytoplasm of living cells behaves as a poroelastic material.</a> Nature Materials. 12 (3), 253-261 (2013).</li><li>Charras, G. T., Mitchison, T. J., Mahadevan, L. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=Animal+cell+hydraulics.">Animal cell hydraulics.</a> Journal of Cell Science. 122 (18), 3233-3241 (2009).</li><li>Charras, G. T., Yarrow, J. C., Horton, M. 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A. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=Intracellular+fluid+flow+in+rapidly+moving+cells.">Intracellular fluid flow in rapidly moving cells.</a> Nature Cell Biology. 11 (10), 1219-1224 (2009).</li><li>Paluch, E., Piel, M., Prost, J., Bornens, M., Sykes, C. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=Cortical+actomyosin+breakage+triggers+shape+oscillations+in+cells+and+cell+fragments.">Cortical actomyosin breakage triggers shape oscillations in cells and cell fragments.</a> Biophysical Journal. 89 (1), 724-733 (2005).</li><li>Liu, A. P., Fletcher, D. A. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=Biology+under+construction:+In+vitro+reconstitution+of+cellular+function.">Biology under construction: In vitro reconstitution of cellular function.</a> Nature Reviews Molecular Cell Biology. 10 (9), 644-650 (2009).</li><li>Siton-Mendelson, O., Bernheim-Groswasser, A. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=Toward+the+reconstitution+of+synthetic+cell+motility.">Toward the reconstitution of synthetic cell motility.</a> Cell Adhesion &amp; Migration. 10 (5), 461-474 (2016).</li><li>Bernheim-Groswasser, A., Wiesner, S., Golsteyn, R. M., Carlier, M. -. F., Sykes, C. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=The+dynamics+of+actin-based+motility+depend+on+surface+parameters.">The dynamics of actin-based motility depend on surface parameters.</a> Nature. 417 (6886), 308-311 (2002).</li><li>Bieling, P., et al. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=Force+feedback+controls+motor+activity+and+mechanical+properties+of+self-assembling+branched+actin+networks.">Force feedback controls motor activity and mechanical properties of self-assembling branched actin networks.</a> Cell. 164 (1-2), 115-127 (2016).</li><li>Carvalho, K., et al. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=Actin+polymerization+or+myosin+contraction:+two+ways+to+build+up+cortical+tension+for+symmetry+breaking.">Actin polymerization or myosin contraction: two ways to build up cortical tension for symmetry breaking.</a> Philosophical Transactions of the Royal Society B: Biological Sciences. 368 (1629), 20130005 (2013).</li><li>Dayel, M. J., et al. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=In+silico+reconstitution+of+actin-based+symmetry+breaking+and+motility.">In silico reconstitution of actin-based symmetry breaking and motility.</a> PLoS Biology. 7 (9), e1000201 (2009).</li><li>Manhart, A., et al. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=Quantitative+regulation+of+the+dynamic+steady+state+of+actin+networks.">Quantitative regulation of the dynamic steady state of actin networks.</a> eLife. 8, 42413 (2019).</li><li>Siton, O., et al. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=Cortactin+releases+the+brakes+in+actin-based+motility+by+enhancing+WASP-VCA+detachment+from+Arp2/3+branches.">Cortactin releases the brakes in actin-based motility by enhancing WASP-VCA detachment from Arp2/3 branches.</a> Current Biology. 21 (24), 2092-2097 (2011).</li><li>Pontani, L. -. L., et al. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=Reconstitution+of+an+actin+cortex+inside+a+liposome.">Reconstitution of an actin cortex inside a liposome.</a> Biophysical Journal. 96 (1), 192-198 (2009).</li><li>Ideses, Y., Sonn-Segev, A., Roichman, Y., Bernheim-Groswasser, A. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=Myosin+II+does+it+all:+Assembly,+remodeling,+and+disassembly+of+actin+networks+are+governed+by+myosin+II+activity.">Myosin II does it all: Assembly, remodeling, and disassembly of actin networks are governed by myosin II activity.</a> Soft Matter. 9 (29), 7127-7137 (2013).</li><li>Backouche, F., Haviv, L., Groswasser, D., Bernheim-Groswasser, A. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=Active+gels:+Dynamics+of+patterning+and+self-organization.">Active gels: Dynamics of patterning and self-organization.</a> Physical Biology. 3 (4), 264 (2006).</li><li>Alvarado, J., Sheinman, M., Sharma, A., MacKintosh, F. C., Koenderink, G. 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A., Watt, S. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=The+regulation+of+rabbit+skeletal+muscle+contraction:+I.+Biochemical+studies+of+the+interaction+of+the+tropomyosin-troponin+complex+with+actin+and+the+proteolytic+fragments+of+myosin.">The regulation of rabbit skeletal muscle contraction: I. Biochemical studies of the interaction of the tropomyosin-troponin complex with actin and the proteolytic fragments of myosin.</a> Journal of Biological Chemistry. 246 (15), 4866-4871 (1971).</li><li>Ono, S., et al. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=Identification+of+an+actin+binding+region+and+a+protein+kinase+C+phosphorylation+site+on+human+fascin.">Identification of an actin binding region and a protein kinase C phosphorylation site on human fascin.</a> Journal of Biological Chemistry. 272 (4), 2527-2533 (1997).</li><li>Margossian, S. S., Lowey, S. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=Preparation+of+myosin+and+its+subfragments+from+rabbit+skeletal+muscle.">Preparation of myosin and its subfragments from rabbit skeletal muscle.</a> In Methods in Enzymology. 85, 55-71 (1982).</li><li>Quinlan, M. E., Forkey, J. N., Goldman, Y. E. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=Orientation+of+the+myosin+light+chain+region+by+single+molecule+total+internal+reflection+fluorescence+polarization+microscopy.">Orientation of the myosin light chain region by single molecule total internal reflection fluorescence polarization microscopy.</a> Biophysical Journal. 89 (2), 1132-1142 (2005).</li><li>Cheng, N. -. S. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=Formula+for+the+viscosity+of+a+glycerol&#8722;water+mixture.">Formula for the viscosity of a glycerol&#8722;water mixture.</a> Industrial &amp; Engineering Chemistry Research. 47 (9), 3285-3288 (2008).</li><li>Marsh, D., Bartucci, R., Sportelli, L. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=Lipid+membranes+with+grafted+polymers:+Physicochemical+aspects.">Lipid membranes with grafted polymers: Physicochemical aspects.</a> Biochimica et Biophysica Acta (BBA) - Biomembranes. 1615 (1-2), 33-59 (2003).</li><li>Strychalski, W., Guy, R. D. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=Intracellular+pressure+dynamics+in+blebbing+cells.">Intracellular pressure dynamics in blebbing cells.</a> Biophysical Journal. 110 (5), 1168-1179 (2016).</li><li>Head, D. A., Levine, A. J., MacKintosh, F. C. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=Distinct+regimes+of+elastic+response+and+deformation+modes+of+crosslinked+cytoskeletal+and+semiflexible+polymer+networks.">Distinct regimes of elastic response and deformation modes of crosslinked cytoskeletal and semiflexible polymer networks.</a> Physical Review E. 68 (6), 061907 (2003).</li><li>MacKintosh, F. C., Levine, A. J. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=Nonequilibrium+mechanics+and+dynamics+of+motor-activated+gels.">Nonequilibrium mechanics and dynamics of motor-activated gels.</a> Physical Review Letters. 100 (1), 018104 (2008).</li><li>Melero, C., et al. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=Light-induced+molecular+adsorption+of+proteins+using+the+PRIMO+system+for+micro-patterning+to+study+cell+responses+to+extracellular+matrix+proteins.">Light-induced molecular adsorption of proteins using the PRIMO system for micro-patterning to study cell responses to extracellular matrix proteins.</a> Journal of Visualized Experiments. (152), e60092 (2019).</li><li>Bendix, P. 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Here, an in vitro approach is employed to characterize the mechanics of poroelastic actomyosin gels as a model system of the cell cytoskeleton and, more generally, of the cell cytoplasm, which has been shown to behave as a poroelastic material3,5. The rheology of the cell cytoskeleton (cytoplasm) has been characterized by a poroelastic diffusion constant, which dictates how long it takes for the intracellular cytosolic fluid to redistribute within the ce...

Living cells have unique mechanical properties. Besides the ability to passively react to applied forces, they are also capable of actively generating forces in response to external stimuli1. These characteristics, which are essential for a variety of cellular processes, notably during cell motility, are primarily attributed to the mechanical and dynamic properties of the cell cytoskeleton, especially the actomyosin cytoskeleton, which is an active gel of polar actin filaments, myosin molecular motors, and accessory proteins. These actomyosin networks exhibit intrinsic self-organization and contraction properties driven by the myosin motor proteins, which crosslink the actin filaments and actively generate mechanical stresses in the network fueled by ATP hydrolysis2.
Numerous experimental and theoretical studies have been conducted to study the material properties of the cytoskeleton3. The commonly accepted view is that the cytoskeleton behaves as a viscoelastic material4. This means that on short timescales, the cytoskeleton behaves as an elastic material, and on long timescales, it behaves as a viscous fluid due to the crosslinking proteins and myosin motor detachment (and reattachment), which allows the network to dynamically turnover. In many situations, however, the viscoelastic model cannot describe the experimental results, which are more consistent with a picture describing the cytoskeleton and, more generally, the cell cytoplasm being described as a poroelastic active material5,6. Two main features characterize these types of materials. (i) The first main feature is the generation of a flow of the penetrating cytosol (the &#34;solvent&#34;) across the gel pores by contractility gradients driven by the myosin motors, which underlies processes such as cell blebbing7, motility8, and cell shape oscillations9. The emergence of such cytosolic flows can be local, for blebbing, or global, like in cell motility. In the latter case, the contractile-applied stresses at the cell rear drive the flow of the cytosolic fluid toward the cell front, which replenishes the protein pool needed for lamellipodia assembly8. (ii) The second main feature is that the relaxation of stresses is diffusive and is characterized by an effective diffusion constant, , which depends on the gel elastic modulus, gel porosity, and solvent viscosity5. The poroelastic diffusion constant determines how fast the system responds to an applied stress. Higher diffusion constants correspond to faster stress redistribution. This, in turn, determines how long it takes for the intracellular cytosolic fluid to be redistributed within the cell following applied mechanical stress, be it external or internal, such as the active contractile stresses generated by myosin motors. These examples, thus, demonstrate that the mechanics of the cytoskeleton and the cytosol are tightly coupled and cannot be treated separately3.
As cells can regulate their mechanical properties in a variety of ways, the interplay between network mechanics and fluid flow dynamics remains poorly understood. A powerful alternative approach is to use in vitro reconstituted systems that allow for full control of the various microscopic constituents and the system parameters, which renders these model systems optimal for physical analysis10,11. This approach has been successfully employed to study the impact of protein composition and system geometry on actin-based motility12,13,14,15,16,17,18, the 2D patterning of actomyosin networks19,20,21,22, and the interplay between network contractility and fluid flow dynamics of poroelastic actomyosin gels, which is the focus of this paper23.
In this manuscript, the preparation of contractile elastic actomyosin networks of controllable dimensions and material properties is discussed based on the work of Ideses et al.23. The dynamics of the contracting gel and the drained solvent are analyzed and quantified, through which it is demonstrated that these actomyosin gels can be described as a poroelastic active material. Studying the effect of solvent viscosity on stress diffusivity further confirms the poroelastic nature of these networks. The various scaling relations used for data quantification are provided. Finally, the experimental challenges, the common pitfalls, and the relevance of the experimental results to the cell cytoskeleton are also discussed.

<table border="1" fo:keep-together.within-page="1" fo:keep-with-next.within-page="always">
	<tbody>
		<tr>
			<td>(3-Mercaptopropyl)trimethoxysilane</td>
			<td>Sigma-Aldrich Company</td>
			<td>175617</td>
			<td>Stored under Argon atmosphere at 4 &#176;C&#160;</td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>Acetic acid</td>
			<td>Bio-Lab ltd</td>
			<td>1070521</td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>Alexa-Fluor 488</td>
			<td>Invitrogene</td>
			<td>A10254</td>
			<td>Diluted with DMSO, stored under Argon atmosphere at -20 &#176;C&#160;</td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>Alexa-Fluor 647</td>
			<td>Invitrogene</td>
			<td>A20347</td>
			<td>Diluted with DMSO, stored under Argon atmosphere at -20 &#176;C&#160;</td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>BSA</td>
			<td>Sigma -Aldrich Company</td>
			<td>A3059</td>
			<td>Stored at 4 &#176;C&#160;</td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>Catalase</td>
			<td>Sigma -Aldrich Company</td>
			<td>C9322</td>
			<td>The stock bottle is kept under dry atmosphere (silica gel) at -20 &#176;C</td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>Coverslips</td>
			<td>Mezel-glaser</td>
			<td>CG2222-1.5</td>
			<td>Kept in milliQ-water after the Piranha treatment and used within 3 weeks</td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>Creatine kinase</td>
			<td>Roche Life Science Products</td>
			<td>10736988001</td>
			<td>Prepared fresh in glycine buffer, kep on ice, and used within 3 days.&#160; The stock bottle is kept under dry atmosphere (silica gel) at 4 &#176;C</td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>Creatine phosphate</td>
			<td>Roche Life Science Products</td>
			<td>10621714001</td>
			<td>When dissolved should be kept at -20 &#176;C and used within 3 months. The stock bottle is kept under Argon atmosphere and stored at 4 &#176;C</td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>DTT</td>
			<td>Roche Life Science Products</td>
			<td>10708984001</td>
			<td>When dissolved should be kept at -20 &#176;C and used within 3 months</td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>Dual view Simultaneous Imaging System&#160;</td>
			<td>Photometrics</td>
			<td>DV2-CUBE</td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>EGTA</td>
			<td>MP Biomedicals</td>
			<td>195174</td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>EM-CCD Camera</td>
			<td>Andor Technology Ltd</td>
			<td>DV 887</td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>EM-CCD Camera</td>
			<td>Photometrics</td>
			<td>Evolve Delta</td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>Ethanol</td>
			<td>Bio-Lab ltd</td>
			<td>525050300</td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>Flourescence Lamp</td>
			<td>Rapp Optoelectronic</td>
			<td></td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>Fluoresbrite YG Microspheres</td>
			<td>Polysciences</td>
			<td>17151-10</td>
			<td>200 nm diameter</td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>Glucose</td>
			<td>ICN Biomedicals Inc</td>
			<td>194024</td>
			<td>When dissolved should be kept at -20 &#176;C and used within 3 months.</td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>Glucose oxidase</td>
			<td>Sigma-Aldrich Company</td>
			<td>G7141</td>
			<td>Kept in -20 &#176;C and used within 3 months. The stock powder is kept under Argon atmosphere and kept at -20 &#176;C</td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>Glycerol</td>
			<td>ICN Biomedicals Inc</td>
			<td>800687</td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>Glycine</td>
			<td>MP Biomedicals</td>
			<td>808822</td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>Hydrogen Peroxide</td>
			<td>Sigma-Aldrich Company</td>
			<td>216763</td>
			<td>Stored at 4 &#176;C&#160;</td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>KCl</td>
			<td>EMD Millipore Corp.</td>
			<td>529552</td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>Methanol</td>
			<td>Bio-Lab ltd</td>
			<td>1368052100</td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>MgCl2</td>
			<td>EMD Millipore Corp.</td>
			<td>442615</td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>Microscope</td>
			<td>Leica Microsystems</td>
			<td>DMI3000</td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>mPEG-mal</td>
			<td>Nanocs</td>
			<td>PG1-ML-5k&#160;</td>
			<td>Mw = 5000 Da. Divided to small batches by weight. Stored under Argon atmosphere at -20 &#176;C</td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>Nile red microspheres</td>
			<td>Spherotech</td>
			<td>FP-2056-2&#160;</td>
			<td>2300 nm diameter</td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>Objective (10x)</td>
			<td>Leica Germany</td>
			<td>HC PL AP0</td>
			<td>UPlanFL Numerical Aperture = 0.3</td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>Objective (2.5x)</td>
			<td>Leica Germany</td>
			<td>506304</td>
			<td>&#160;Plan-NEOFLUAR Numerical Aperture = 0.075</td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>Oven</td>
			<td>WTC Binder</td>
			<td></td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>Parafilm</td>
			<td>Amcor</td>
			<td>PM-996</td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>PBS Buffer</td>
			<td>Sigma-Aldrich Company</td>
			<td>P4417</td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>Shutter Driver</td>
			<td>Vincet Associates</td>
			<td>VMM D1</td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>Silica gel</td>
			<td>Merck</td>
			<td>1.01907.5000</td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>Sonicator</td>
			<td>Elma</td>
			<td>Elmasonic P</td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>Sulfuric acid</td>
			<td>Carlo Erba reagents</td>
			<td>410301</td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>DV2 Dual-Channel Simultaneous-Imaging System</td>
			<td>Photometrics</td>
			<td></td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>TRIS</td>
			<td>MP Biomedicals</td>
			<td>819620</td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>UV-VIS Spectrophotometer</td>
			<td>Pharmacia</td>
			<td>Ultraspec 2100 pro</td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>MICROMAN E</td>
			<td>Gilson</td>
			<td>FD10001</td>
			<td>1&#8211;10 uL</td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>MATLAB R2017b</td>
			<td>MathWorks</td>
			<td></td>
			<td>Data quantification&#160;</td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>MetaMorph&#160;</td>
			<td>Molecular devices</td>
			<td></td>
			<td>Control software of the optical imaging system; data quantification (particle tracking analysis, network mesh size)</td>
		</tr>
	</tbody>
</table>

the mechanics of (poro-)elastic contractile actomyosin networks as a model system of the cell cytoskeleton

Cells can actively change their shapes and become motile, a property that depends on their ability to actively reorganize their internal structure. This feature is attributed to the mechanical and dynamic properties of the cell cytoskeleton, notably, the actomyosin cytoskeleton, which is an active gel of polar actin filaments, myosin motors, and accessory proteins that exhibit intrinsic contraction properties. The usually accepted view is that the cytoskeleton behaves as a viscoelastic material. However, this model cannot always explain the experimental results, which are more consistent with a picture describing the cytoskeleton as a poroelastic active material-an elastic network embedded with cytosol. Contractility gradients generated by the myosin motors drive the flow of the cytosol across the gel pores, which infers that the mechanics of the cytoskeleton and the cytosol are tightly coupled. One main feature of poroelasticity is the diffusive relaxation of stresses in the network, characterized by an effective diffusion constant that depends on the gel elastic modulus, porosity, and cytosol (solvent) viscosity. As cells have many ways to regulate their structure and material properties, our current understanding of how cytoskeleton mechanics and cytosol flow dynamics are coupled remains poorly understood. Here, an in vitro reconstitution approach is employed to characterize the material properties of poroelastic actomyosin gels as a model system for the cell cytoskeleton. Gel contraction is driven by myosin motor contractility, which leads to the emergence of a flow of the penetrating solvent. The paper describes how to prepare these gels and run experiments. We also discuss how to measure and analyze the solvent flow and gel contraction both at the local and global scales. The various scaling relations used for data quantification are given. Finally, the experimental challenges and common pitfalls are discussed, including their relevance to cell cytoskeleton mechanics.

Two glass coverslips are used per experiment. The glass coverslips are cleaned and passivated with PEG polymers. Passivation is essential for preventing the solubilized proteins from adhering to the glass surfaces at the early experimental stages and for minimizing the interaction of the contracting network with the glass walls. Failure to achieve good passivation can lead to inefficient contraction and, in extreme cases, can even inhibit actin network formation.
Figure 1<...

Watch this Scientific Journal Video about The Mechanics of Poro-Elastic Contractile Actomyosin Networks As a Model System of the Cell Cytoskeleton at JoVE.com

The Mechanics of Poro-Elastic Contractile Actomyosin Networks As a Model System of the Cell Cytoskeleton

In this work, an in vitro reconstitution approach is employed to study the poroelasticity of actomyosin gels under controlled conditions. The dynamics of the actomyosin gel and the embedded solvent are quantified, through which the network poroelasticity is demonstrated. We also discuss the experimental challenges, common pitfalls, and relevance to cell cytoskeleton mechanics.

The Mechanics of (Poro-)Elastic Contractile Actomyosin Networks As a Model System of the Cell Cytoskeleton

Cells can actively change their shapes and become motile, a property that depends on their ability to actively reorganize their internal structure. This ...

We have developed an in vitro approach to characterize the mechanics of poroelastic actomyosin gels as a model system of the cell cytoskeleton, and more generally, the cytoplasm, which have been shown to behave as a poroelastic active material. This method provides insights into how myosin contractility contributes to the emergence of a fluid flow and how network and cytosol velocities are correlated in time and space. This simple approach allows us to extract the mechanical properties of dynamically evolving systems without using any sophisticated equipment or techniques where conventional tools like AFIM cannot be employed.This method can provide insights into the rheology of poroelastic active materials regardless of the specificity of the active gel and the embedded fluid. To begin, place 10 to 12 number 1.5 glass coverslips in a homemade polytetrafluoroethylene holder and prepare Piranha solution in a 400 milliliter beaker. Prepare the solution on ice in a chemical hood.Transfer the holder into the Piranha filled beaker. After three hours, transfer the holder into a clean beaker filled with fresh double distilled water to wash the excess Piranha from the coverslips and transfer the beaker into a sonication bath at 80 hertz and full power for 10 minutes at 25 degrees Celsius. Repeat this step two more times with fresh double distilled water.For salinization, transfer the holder into a clean beaker filled with 300 milliliters of pure methanol, then into a sonication bath for 30 minutes. Then transfer the holder into a silane solution. Seal the beaker with parafilm and keep it in the refrigerator at four degrees Celsius overnight.On the next day, transfer the holder into a clean beaker filled with 300 milliliters of pure methanol for 15 seconds. Dry the bottom of the holder to remove the excess methanol and transfer it into a clean beaker. Then transfer the beaker to the oven to dry the glass coverslips for five minutes at 120 degrees Celsius.To achieve surface passivation, take two coverslips for each experiment and place them in a Petri dish coated with a parafilm layer initially cleaned with ethanol. Incubate each coverslip with one milliliter of methoxypolyethylene glycol maleimide in 1X PBS for one hour at 22 degrees Celsius. At the end of the incubation process, tilt the Petri dish to remove and peg.Rinse each coverslip with five milliliters of double distilled water and dry with a flow of nitrogen gas. Since the coverslips must be kept wet after passivation, immediately put one milliliter of 10 millimolar Tris on the pegylated surfaces and use the coverslips with two hours. To form large myosin aggregates, dilute the myosin stock solution with 10 millimolar Tris to reach a final concentration of 25 millimolar potassium chloride.Keep the diluted myosin solution for 10 minutes at room temperature and then transfer it to ice until use. The motors are fully active for up to two hours. to track the solvent flow across the gel pores, prepare passivated fluorescent beads and reduce the interaction between the beads and the actomyosin network by incubating one microliter of beads with five micromolar G-actin for 20 minutes.Remove the excess G-actin by centrifugation. Repeat this step with 10 milligrams per milliliter of bovine serum albumin to block the remaining uncoated surface and use the beads at a final dilution of one to 10, 000 in the experiments. To prepare the actomyosin solution, thaw the protein aliquots stored at minus 80 degrees Celsius and place them on ice.Then prepare the solution to reach a final concentration of 10 millimolar Tris, five micromolar G-actin, 280 nanomolar GST Fascin, and 1.67 nanomolar myosin II.Take one of the polyethylene glycol passivated coverslips. Place a greased paraform spacer on top of it and place it in the sample holder. Add 1.1 microliters of the actomyosin solution to the holder mounted coverslip and place the second coverslip on top.Screw the holder to seal the sample. Place the sample holder on the microscope and start the acquisition. Prepare the microscope in advance to reduce the initial acquisition time.To image the samples with an inverted fluorescent microscope, visualize the whole gel area by using low magnifications of 2.5X objective and follow its macroscopic contraction with time. Use a 10X objective to characterize the network porosity and structure and to follow the network self-organization and contraction with time. For the simultaneous two-color imaging, excite the actin at 488 nanometers and myosin II motors at 561 nanometers and record the images simultaneously on an EMCCD camera using a dual emission apparatus.Use the same imaging system to simultaneously image the actin gel and the fluorescent myosin II motors. For simultaneous two-color imaging, excite the actin at 488 nanometers and 2, 300 nanometer beads at 561 nanometers. And record the images simultaneously on an EMCCD camera using a dual emission apparatus.Use the same imaging system to simultaneously image the actin gel and the fluorescent beads. The first day involves demonstrating that the actomyosin network behaves as an elastic material. A schematic representation of an actomyosin network is depicted here.Fluorescence microscopy images demonstrate that the actin filaments spontaneously nucleate and polymerize into an isotropic interconnected network that coarsens with time and eventually contracts macroscopically. Network attraction initiates at the gel periphery and propagates inward into the gel bulk. The gel center is marked with a C.The actin filament bundles remain straight during network contraction.The distribution of the ratio between the contour length and the end-to-end distance at T316 seconds and T327 seconds is shown here. The second aim involves demonstrating that an outward solvent flow is generated by myosin contractility. The image of the gel at low magnification at intermediate stages of contraction is shown here.These circles mark the positions of four beads. The arrows mark the global direction of the bead motion. The trajectories of the nine selected beads are depicted here.Resolving the network porosity and the movement of the solvent across the gel pores at advanced stages of contraction are depicted here. The third aim involves demonstrating that stress relaxation is characterized by an effective poroelastic diffusion constant. Top view fluorescence images of a contracting actomyosin gel at low magnification from the mixing time up to the steady state are shown here.The actomyosin networks behave as a poroelastic active material. While attempting this procedure, work fast and accurately and keep in mind the importance of surface preservation.

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Research

JoVE Journal

Bioengineering

Plasma Lithography Surface Patterning for Creation of Cell Networks

Systematic manipulation of a cell microenvironment with micro- and nanoscale resolution is often required for deciphering various cellular and molecular phenomena. To address this requirement, we have developed a plasma lithography technique to manipulate the cellular microenvironment by creating a patterned surface with feature sizes ranging from 100 nm to millimeters. The goal of this technique is to be able to study, in a controlled way, the behaviors of individual cells as well as groups of cells and their interactions.
This plasma lithography method is based on selective modification of the surface chemistry on a substrate by means of shielding the contact of low-temperature plasma with a physical mold. This selective shielding leaves a chemical pattern which can guide cell attachment and movement. This pattern, or surface template, can then be used to create networks of cells whose structure can mimic that found in nature and produces a controllable environment for experimental investigations. The technique is well suited to studying biological phenomenon as it produces stable surface patterns on transparent polymeric substrates in a biocompatible manner. The surface patterns last for weeks to months and can thus guide interaction with cells for long time periods which facilitates the study of long-term cellular processes, such as differentiation and adaption. The modification to the surface is primarily chemical in nature and thus does not introduce topographical or physical interference for interpretation of results. It also does not involve any harsh or toxic substances to achieve patterning and is compatible for tissue culture. Furthermore, it can be applied to modify various types of polymeric substrates, which due to the ability to tune their properties are ideal for and are widely used in biological applications. The resolution achievable is also beneficial, as isolation of specific processes such as migration, adhesion, or binding allows for discrete, clear observations at the single to multicell level.
This method has been employed to form diverse networks of different cell types for investigations involving migration, signaling, tissue formation, and the behavior and interactions of neurons arraigned in a network.

A versatile plasma lithography technique has been developed to generate stable surface patterns for guiding cellular attachment. This technique can be applied to create cell networks including those that mimic natural tissues and has been used for studying several, distinct cell types.

Systematic manipulation of a cell microenvironment with micro- and nanoscale resolution is often required for deciphering various cellular and molecular ...

Rotating Cell Culture Systems for Human Cell Culture: Human Trophoblast Cells as a Model

The field of human trophoblast research aids in understanding the complex environment established during placentation. Due to the nature of these studies, human in vivo experimentation is impossible. A combination of primary cultures, explant cultures and trophoblast cell lines1 support our understanding of invasion of the uterine wall2 and remodeling of uterine spiral arteries3,4 by extravillous trophoblast cells (EVTs), which is required for successful establishment of pregnancy. Despite the wealth of knowledge gleaned from such models, it is accepted that in vitro cell culture models using EVT-like cell lines display altered cellular properties when compared to their in vivo counterparts5,6. Cells cultured in the rotating cell culture system (RCCS) display morphological, phenotypic, and functional properties of EVT-like cell lines that more closely mimic differentiating in utero EVTs, with increased expression of genes mediating invasion (e.g. matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs)) and trophoblast differentiation7,8,9. The Saint Georges Hospital Placental cell Line-4 (SGHPL-4) (kindly donated by Dr. Guy Whitley and Dr. Judith Cartwright) is an EVT-like cell line that was used for testing in the RCCS.
The design of the RCCS culture vessel is based on the principle that organs and tissues function in a three-dimensional (3-D) environment. Due to the dynamic culture conditions in the vessel, including conditions of physiologically relevant shear, cells grown in three dimensions form aggregates based on natural cellular affinities and differentiate into organotypic tissue-like assemblies10,11,12 . The maintenance of a fluid orbit provides a low-shear, low-turbulence environment similar to conditions found in vivo. Sedimentation of the cultured cells is countered by adjusting the rotation speed of the RCCS to ensure a constant free-fall of cells. Gas exchange occurs through a permeable hydrophobic membrane located on the back of the bioreactor. Like their parental tissue in vivo, RCCS-grown cells are able to respond to chemical and molecular gradients in three dimensions (i.e. at their apical, basal, and lateral surfaces) because they are cultured on the surface of porous microcarrier beads. When grown as two-dimensional monolayers on impermeable surfaces like plastic, cells are deprived of this important communication at their basal surface. Consequently, the spatial constraints imposed by the environment profoundly affect how cells sense and decode signals from the surrounding microenvironment, thus implying an important role for the 3-D milieu13.
We have used the RCCS to engineer biologically meaningful 3-D models of various human epithelial tissues7,14,15,16. Indeed, many previous reports have demonstrated that cells cultured in the RCCS can assume physiologically relevant phenotypes that have not been possible with other models10,17-21. In summary, culture in the RCCS represents an easy, reproducible, high-throughput platform that provides large numbers of differentiated cells that are amenable to a variety of experimental manipulations. 
In the following protocol, using EVTs as an example, we clearly describe the steps required to three-dimensionally culture adherent cells in the RCCS.

Traditional, two dimensional cell culture techniques often result in altered characteristics with respect to differentiation markers, cytokines and growth factors. Three-dimensional cell culture in the rotating cell culture system (RCCS) reestablishes expression of many of these factors as shown here with an extravillous trophoblast cell line.

The field of human trophoblast research aids in  understanding the complex environment established during placentation. Due to the  nature of these ...

Alginate Microcapsule as a 3D Platform for Propagation and Differentiation of Human Embryonic Stem Cells (hESC) to Different Lineages

Human embryonic stem cells (hESC) are emerging as an attractive alternative source for cell replacement therapy since they can be expanded in culture indefinitely and differentiated to any cell types in the body. Various types of biomaterials have also been used in stem cell cultures to provide a microenvironment mimicking the stem cell niche1-3. The latter is important for promoting cell-to-cell interaction, cell proliferation, and differentiation into specific lineages as well as tissue organization by providing a three-dimensional (3D) environment4 such as encapsulation. The principle of cell encapsulation involves entrapment of living cells within the confines of semi-permeable membranes in 3D cultures2. These membranes allow for the exchange of nutrients, oxygen and stimuli across the membranes, whereas antibodies and immune cells from the host that are larger than the capsule pore size are excluded5. Here, we present an approach to culture and differentiate hESC DA neurons in a 3D microenvironment using alginate microcapsules. We have modified the culture conditions2 to enhance the viability of encapsulated hESC. We have previously shown that the addition of p160-Rho-associated coiled-coil kinase (ROCK) inhibitor, Y-27632 and human fetal fibroblast-conditioned serum replacement medium (hFF-CM) to the 3D platform significantly enhanced the viability of encapsulated hESC in which the cells expressed definitive endoderm marker genes1. We have now used this 3D platform for the propagation of hESC and efficient differentiation to DA neurons. Protein and gene expression analyses after the final stage of DA neuronal differentiation showed an increased expression of tyrosine hydroxylase (TH), a marker for DA neurons, &gt;100 folds after 2 weeks. We hypothesized that our 3D platform using alginate microcapsules may be useful to study the proliferation and directed differentiation of hESC to various lineages. This 3D system also allows the separation of feeder cells from hESC during the process of differentiation and also has potential for immune-isolation during transplantation in the future.

Alginate Microcapsule as a 3D Platform for Propagation and Differentiation of Human Embryonic Stem Cells hESC to Different Lineages

We have optimized a microencapsulation technique as an effective 3D platform for propagation and differentiation of embryonic stem cells to endoderm and dopaminergic (DA) neurons. It also provides an opportunity for immune-isolation of cells from the host during transplantation. This platform can be adapted for other cell types.

Human embryonic stem cells (hESC) are emerging as an attractive alternative source for cell replacement therapy since they can be expanded in culture ...

Monitoring the Wall Mechanics During Stent Deployment in a Vessel

Clinical trials have reported different restenosis rates for various stent designs1. It is speculated that stent-induced strain concentrations on the arterial wall lead to tissue injury, which initiates restenosis2-7. This hypothesis needs further investigations including better quantifications of non-uniform strain distribution on the artery following stent implantation. A non-contact surface strain measurement method for the stented artery is presented in this work. ARAMIS stereo optical surface strain measurement system uses two optical high speed cameras to capture the motion of each reference point, and resolve three dimensional strains over the deforming surface8,9. As a mesh stent is deployed into a latex vessel with a random contrasting pattern sprayed or drawn on its outer surface, the surface strain is recorded at every instant of the deformation. The calculated strain distributions can then be used to understand the local lesion response, validate the computational models, and formulate hypotheses for further in vivo study.

Stent-induced arterial strain distributions are characterized using an optical surface strain measurement system. This visualization technique is used to gain insights into the impact of stent implantation on the host vessel.

Clinical trials have reported different restenosis rates for various stent designs1. It is speculated that stent-induced strain concentrations on the ...

Improved Method for the Preparation of a Human Cell-based, Contact Model of the Blood-Brain Barrier

The blood-brain barrier (BBB) comprises impermeable but adaptable brain capillaries which tightly control the brain environment. Failure of the BBB has been implied in the etiology of many brain pathologies, creating a need for development of human in vitro BBB models to assist in clinically-relevant research. Among the numerous BBB models thus far described, a static (without flow), contact BBB model, where astrocytes and brain endothelial cells (BECs) are cocultured on the opposite sides of a porous membrane, emerged as a simplified yet authentic system to simulate the BBB with high throughput screening capacity. Nevertheless the generation of such model presents few technical challenges. Here, we describe a protocol for preparation of a contact human BBB model utilizing a novel combination of primary human BECs and immortalized human astrocytes. Specifically, we detail an innovative method for cell-seeding on inverted inserts as well as specify insert staining techniques and exemplify how we use our model for BBB-related research.

Establishment of human models of the blood-brain barrier (BBB) can benefit research into brain conditions associated with BBB failure. We describe here an improved technique for preparation of a contact BBB model, which permits coculturing of human astrocytes and brain endothelial cells on the opposite sides of a porous membrane.

The blood-brain barrier (BBB) comprises impermeable but adaptable brain capillaries which tightly control the brain environment. Failure of the BBB has ...

Fabrication of Extracellular Matrix-derived Foams and Microcarriers as Tissue-specific Cell Culture and Delivery Platforms

Cell function is mediated by interactions with the extracellular matrix (ECM), which has complex tissue-specific composition and architecture. The focus of this article is on the methods for fabricating ECM-derived porous foams and microcarriers for use as biologically-relevant substrates in advanced 3D in vitro cell culture models or as pro-regenerative scaffolds and cell delivery systems for tissue engineering and regenerative medicine. Using decellularized tissues or purified insoluble collagen as a starting material, the techniques can be applied to synthesize a broad array of tissue-specific bioscaffolds with customizable geometries. The approach involves mechanical processing and mild enzymatic digestion to yield an ECM suspension that is used to fabricate the three-dimensional foams or microcarriers through controlled freezing and lyophilization procedures. These pure ECM-derived scaffolds are highly porous, yet stable without the need for chemical crosslinking agents or other additives that may negatively impact cell function. The scaffold properties can be tuned to some extent by varying factors such as the ECM suspension concentration, mechanical processing methods, or synthesis conditions. In general, the scaffolds are robust and easy to handle, and can be processed as tissues for most standard biological assays, providing a versatile and user-friendly 3D cell culture platform that mimics the native ECM composition. Overall, these straightforward methods for fabricating customized ECM-derived foams and microcarriers may be of interest to both biologists and biomedical engineers as tissue-specific cell-instructive platforms for in vitro and in vivo applications.

The tissue-specific extracellular matrix (ECM) is a key mediator of cell function. This article describes methods for synthesizing pure ECM-derived foams and microcarriers that are stable in culture without the need for chemical crosslinking for applications in advanced 3D in vitro cell culture models or as pro-regenerative bioscaffolds.

Cell function is mediated by interactions with the extracellular matrix (ECM), which has complex tissue-specific composition and architecture. The focus ...

Simulating the Mechanics of Lens Accommodation via a Manual Lens Stretcher

The goal of this protocol is to mimic the biomechanics of physiological accommodation in a cost-efficient, practical manner. Accommodation is achieved through the contraction of the ciliary body and relaxation of zonule fibers, which results in the thickening of the lens necessary for near vision. Here, we present a novel, simple method in which accommodation is replicated by tensing the zonules connected to the lens capsule via a manual lens stretcher (MLS). This method monitors the radial stretching achieved by a lens when subjected to a consistent force and allows for a comparison of accommodating lenses, which can be stretched, to non-accommodating lenses, which cannot be stretched. Importantly, the stretcher couples to the zonules directly, and not to the sclera of the eye, thus only requiring the lens, zonules, and ciliary body rather than the entire globe sample. This difference can significantly decrease the cost of acquiring donor cadaver lenses by about 62% compared to acquiring an entire globe.

We present an efficient method of studying lens accommodation by using a manual lens stretcher. The protocol mimics physiological accommodation by pulling the zonules connected around the lens capsule, thereby, stretching the lens.

The goal of this protocol is to mimic the biomechanics of physiological accommodation in a cost-efficient, practical manner. Accommodation is achieved ...

Recombinant Collagen I Peptide Microcarriers for Cell Expansion and Their Potential Use As Cell Delivery System in a Bioreactor Model

Tissue engineering is a promising field, focused on developing solutions for the increasing demand on tissues and organs regarding transplantation purposes. The process to generate such tissues is complex, and includes an appropriate combination of specific cell types, scaffolds, and physical or biochemical stimuli to guide cell growth and differentiation. Microcarriers represent an appealing tool to expand cells in a three-dimensional (3D) microenvironment, since they provide higher surface-to volume ratios and mimic more closely the in vivo situation compared to traditional two-dimensional methods. The vascular system, supplying oxygen and nutrients to the cells and ensuring waste removal, constitutes an important building block when generating engineered tissues. In fact, most constructs fail after being implanted due to lacking vascular support. In this study, we present a protocol for endothelial cell expansion on recombinant collagen-based microcarriers under dynamic conditions in spinner flask and bioreactors, and we explain how to determine in this setting cell viability and functionality. In addition, we propose a method for cell delivery for vascularization purposes without additional detachment steps necessary. Furthermore, we provide a strategy to evaluate the cell vascularization potential in a perfusion bioreactor on a decellularized&#160;biological matrix. We believe that the use of the presented methods could lead to the development of new cell-based therapies for a large range of tissue engineering applications in the clinical practice.

We propose a cell expansion protocol on macroporous microcarriers and their use as delivery system in a perfusion bioreactor to seed a decellularized tissue matrix. We also include different techniques to determine cell proliferation and viability of cells cultured on microcarriers. Furthermore, we demonstrate functionality of cells after bioreactor cultures.

Tissue engineering is a promising field, focused on developing solutions for the increasing demand on tissues and organs regarding transplantation ...

Spontaneous Formation and Rearrangement of Artificial Lipid Nanotube Networks as a Bottom-Up Model for Endoplasmic Reticulum

We present a convenient method to form a bottom-up structural organelle model for the endoplasmic reticulum (ER). The model consists of highly dense lipidic nanotubes that are, in terms of morphology and dynamics, reminiscent of ER. The networks are derived from phospholipid double bilayer membrane patches adhering to a transparent Al2O3 substrate. The adhesion is mediated by Ca2+ in the ambient buffer. Subsequent depletion of Ca2+ by means of BAPTA/EDTA causes retraction of the membrane, resulting in spontaneous lipid nanotube network formation. The method only comprises phospholipids and microfabricated surfaces for simple formation of an ER model and does not require the addition of proteins or chemical energy (e.g., GTP or ATP). In contrast to the 3D morphology of the cellular endoplasmic reticulum, the model is two-dimensional (albeit the nanotube dimensions, geometry, structure, and dynamics are maintained). This unique in vitro ER model consists of only a few components, is easy to construct, and can be observed under a light microscope. The resulting structure can be further decorated for additional functionality, such as the addition of ER-associated proteins or particles to study transport phenomena among the tubes. The artificial networks described here are suitable structural models for the cellular ER, whose unique characteristic morphology has been shown to be related to its biological function, whereas details regarding formation of the tubular domain and rearrangements within are still not completely understood. We note that this method uses Al2O3 thin-film-coated microscopy coverslips, which are commercially available but require special orders. Therefore, it is advisable to have access to a microfabrication facility for preparation.

Solid-supported, protein-free, double phospholipid bilayer membranes (DLBM) can be transformed into complex and dynamic lipid nanotube networks and can serve as 2D bottom-up models of the endoplasmic reticulum.

We present a convenient method to form a bottom-up structural organelle model for the endoplasmic reticulum (ER). The model consists of highly dense ...

Patterning the Geometry of Human Embryonic Stem Cell Colonies on Compliant Substrates to Control Tissue-Level Mechanics

Human embryonic stem cells demonstrate a unique ability to respond to morphogens in vitro by self-organizing patterns of cell fate specification that correspond to primary germ layer formation during embryogenesis. Thus, these cells represent a powerful tool with which to examine the mechanisms that drive early human development. We have developed a method to culture human embryonic stem cells in confined colonies on compliant substrates that provides control over both the geometry of the colonies and their mechanical environment in order to recapitulate the physical parameters that underlie embryogenesis. The key feature of this method is the ability to generate polyacrylamide hydrogels with defined patterns of extracellular matrix ligand at the surface to promote cell attachment. This is achieved by fabricating stencils with the desired geometric patterns, using these stencils to create patterns of extracellular matrix ligand on glass coverslips, and transferring these patterns to polyacrylamide hydrogels during polymerization. This method is also compatible with traction force microscopy, allowing the user to measure and map the distribution of cell-generated forces within the confined colonies. In combination with standard biochemical assays, these measurements can be used to examine the role mechanical cues play in fate specification and morphogenesis during early human development.

Extracellular matrix ligands can be patterned onto polyacrylamide hydrogels to enable the culture of human embryonic stem cells in confined colonies on compliant substrates. This method can be combined with traction force microscopy and biochemical assays to examine the interplay between tissue geometry, cell-generated forces, and fate specification.

Human embryonic stem cells demonstrate a unique ability to respond to morphogens in vitro by self-organizing patterns of cell fate specification that ...