Effect of patterned polyacrylamide hydrogel on morphology and orientation of cultured NRVMs

We recently demonstrated that patterned Parylene C films could be effectively used as a mask for directly copolymerizing proteins on polyacrylamide hydrogel (PAm). In this work, we have proved the applicability of this technique for studying the effect such platforms render on neonatal rat ventricular myocytes (NRVMs). Firstly, we have characterised topographically and mechanically the scaffolds in liquid at the nano-scale level. We thus establish that such platforms have physical properties that closely mimics the in vivo extracellular environment of cells. We have then studied the cell morphology and physiology by comparing cultures on flat uniformly-covered and collagen-patterned scaffolds. We show that micro-patterns promote the elongation of cells along the principal axis of the ridges coated with collagen. In several cases, cells also tend to create bridges across the grooves. We have finally studied cell contraction, monitoring Ca(2+) cycling at a certain stimulation. Cells seeded on patterned scaffolds present significant responses in comparison to the isotropic ones.