Fig. 3
From: Matrix degradability controls multicellularity of 3D cell migration
Angiogenic sprouting is influenced by matrix crosslinking. A microfluidic platform is employed to study endothelial cell sprouting from a parent channel into surrounding DexMA matrices of varying MMP-labile crosslinker concentrations. a Schematic of the microfluidic device employed in these studies. b The device consists of two parallel channels fully embedded within a DexMA gel. A growth factor cocktail is added to one channel, creating a chemoattractive gradient (green arrow). c The other channel is seeded with human umbilical cord vein endothelial cells (HUVECs). d Young’s modulus of DexMA hydrogels with varying concentrations of native collagen degradability (NCD) crosslinker, corresponding to samples shown in (e). e Quantification of HUVEC invasion depth as a function of NCD crosslinker concentration. f HUVECs invading into DexMA gels of different crosslinker concentrations (indicated by cyan-labeled data points in e, f) 48 h after growth factor cocktail addition. Composite fluorescence images showing F-actin (cyan) and nuclei (magenta). Dashed yellow lines indicate HUVEC channel position (scale bar, 100 μm). g Morphology of tip cells invading into DexMA gels of varying crosslinker concentrations. Composite fluorescence images showing F-actin (cyan) and nuclei (magenta) (scale bar, 50 μm). All data are presented as a mean ± s.d.
