An official website of the United States government
This content will become publicly available on September 4, 2026
Ultra-low attachment surface enabling 3D co-culture of human B cells with CD40L-expressing stromal cells for in vitro mimicry of secondary lymphoid organs
- Award ID(s):
- 1943020
- PAR ID:
- 10644132
- Publisher / Repository:
- Royal Society of Chemistry
- Date Published:
- Journal Name:
- Biomaterials Science
- Volume:
- 13
- Issue:
- 20
- ISSN:
- 2047-4830
- Page Range / eLocation ID:
- 5801 to 5812
- Format(s):
- Medium: X
- Sponsoring Org:
- National Science Foundation
More Like this
-
Both animal and plant tissue exhibit a nonlinear rheological phenomenon known as compression stiffening, or an increase in moduli with increasing uniaxial compressive strain. Does such a phenomenon exist in single cells, which are the building blocks of tissues? One expects an individual cell to compression soften since the semiflexible biopolymer-based cytoskeletal network maintains the mechanical integrity of the cell and in vitro semiflexible biopolymer networks typically compression soften. To the contrary, we find that mouse embryonic fibroblasts (mEFs) compression stiffen under uniaxial compression via atomic force microscopy studies. To understand this finding, we uncover several potential mechanisms for compression stiffening. First, we study a single semiflexible polymer loop modeling the actomyosin cortex enclosing a viscous medium modeled as an incompressible fluid. Second, we study a two-dimensional semiflexible polymer/fiber network interspersed with area-conserving loops, which are a proxy for vesicles and fluid-based organelles. Third, we study two-dimensional fiber networks with angular-constraining crosslinks, i.e. semiflexible loops on the mesh scale. In the latter two cases, the loops act as geometric constraints on the fiber network to help stiffen it via increased angular interactions. We find that the single semiflexible polymer loop model agrees well with the experimental cell compression stiffening finding until approximately 35% compressive strain after which bulk fiber network effects may contribute. We also find for the fiber network with area-conserving loops model that the stress–strain curves are sensitive to the packing fraction and size distribution of the area-conserving loops, thereby creating a mechanical fingerprint across different cell types. Finally, we make comparisons between this model and experiments on fibrin networks interlaced with beads as well as discuss implications for single cell compression stiffening at the tissue scale.more » « less
-
Moving cells can sense and respond to physical features of the microenvironment; however, in vivo, the significance of tissue topography is mostly unknown. Here, we usedDrosophilaborder cells, an established model for in vivo cell migration, to study how chemical and physical information influences path selection. Although chemical cues were thought to be sufficient, live imaging, genetics, modeling, and simulations show that microtopography is also important. Chemoattractants promote predominantly posterior movement, whereas tissue architecture presents orthogonal information, a path of least resistance concentrated near the center of the egg chamber. E-cadherin supplies a permissive haptotactic cue. Our results provide insight into how cells integrate and prioritize topographical, adhesive, and chemoattractant cues to choose one path among many.more » « less
-
SUMMARY Single-cell analysis has transformed our understanding of cellular diversity, offering insights into complex biological systems. Yet, manual data processing in single-cell studies poses challenges, including inefficiency, human error, and limited scalability. To address these issues, we propose the automated workflowcellSight, which integrates high-throughput sequencing in a user-friendly platform. By automating tasks like cell type clustering, feature extraction, and data normalization,cellSightreduces researcher workload, promoting focus on data interpretation and hypothesis generation. Its standardized analysis pipelines and quality control metrics enhance reproducibility, enabling collaboration across studies. Moreover,cellSight’s adaptability supports integration with emerging technologies, keeping pace with advancements in single-cell genomics.cellSightaccelerates discoveries in single-cell biology, driving impactful insights and clinical translation. It is available with documentation and tutorials athttps://github.com/omicsEye/cellSight.more » « less
