Hydrogels preserve native phenotypes of valvular fibroblasts through an elasticity-regulated PI3K/AKT pathway

摘要

Our results suggest that VICs are sensing the changes in matrix elasticity through the PI3K/AKT pathway. This mechanism may be employed by other mechanosensitive cells in response to substrate modulus, and this pathway may be a worthwhile target for treating matrix stiffness-associated diseases, wherein the stiffened tissue reinforces myofibroblast activation. Furthermore, PEG hydrogels can be designed to recapitulate important mechanical cues in native tissues to preserve aspects of the native phenotype of primary cells for understanding basic cellular responses to biophysical and biochemical signals and for tissue engineering applications.