Figure 4 | NPG Asia Materials

Figure 4

From: Bio-inspired micropatterned hydrogel to direct and deconstruct hierarchical processing of geometry-force signals by human mesenchymal stem cells during smooth muscle cell differentiation

Figure 4

Cell shape governs contractile output of hMSCs. (a) Heat-scale traction stress map depicting the magnitudes of the cell-ECM tugging force of the micropatterned cells. (b) Computed average cell traction force as a function of cell shape. Data represent mean±s.d derived from three independent samples for each hMSC-shape permutation. (c) Fluorescent images of the AR 5:1 and AR 10:1 cells labeled for α-SMA (green), F-actin (red) and cell nucleus (blue). (d) Normalized α-SMA expression level of the cells with different shape-treatment conditions. Data represents mean±s.d. derived from 15 individually patterned cells from each experimental group. *denotes significant difference with the untreated control by Student’s t-test (P<0.05). Scale bar=25 μm.

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