Figure 5 | NPG Asia Materials

Figure 5

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 5

Micropatterned cells respond to geometrical cues by forming different types of SFs. (a) Illustration portraying the different classifications of SFs defined by their intracellular spatial distribution and interaction with FAs. Representative fluorescence images of the patterned cells counter stained for the actin cytoskeleton (gray) and vinculin (green), a major FA protein, for the (b) circular, (c) AR 1:1 and (d) rectangular (AR 5:1) cells acquired 5 days post cell seeding. The corresponding blown up images of regions of interest (red dashed box) clearly show the exclusive occurrence of tSF and dSF in the cells with circle and AR 1:1 shapes, whereas expression of vSF dominates the rectangular cells. Images were captured using the Nikon upright epifluorescence microscope with identical settings and exposure duration. Scale bar=25 μm.

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