Open AccessSubstrate Elastic Modulus Regulates the Morphology, Focal Adhesions, and α-Smooth Muscle Actin Expression of Retinal Müller Cells
Author(s) -
Shaochong Bu,
Roel Kuijer,
Roelofje J. van der Worp,
Sander M. van Putten,
O. Wouters,
Xiaorong Li,
Johanna M. M. Hooymans,
Leonoor I. Los
Publication year - 2015
Publication title -
investigative ophthalmology and visual science
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.935
H-Index - 218
eISSN - 1552-5783
pISSN - 0146-0404
DOI - 10.1167/iovs.14-15969
Subject(s) - extracellular matrix , focal adhesion , stress fiber , chemistry , microbiology and biotechnology , retinal , biophysics , anatomy , cell , biology , biochemistry
The stiffness of the extracellular matrix has been shown to regulate cell adhesion, migration, and transdifferentiation in fibrotic processes. Retinal Müller cells have been shown to be mechanosensitive; they are involved in fibrotic vitreoretinal diseases. Since fibrosis increases the rigidity of the extracellular matrix, our aim was to develop an in vitro model for studying Müller cell morphology and differentiation state in relation to matrix stiffness.