A novel device to stretch multiple tissue samples with variable patterns: application for mRNA regulation in tissue-engineered constructs.

A novel device to stretch multiple tissue samples with variable patterns: application for mRNA regulation in tissue-engineered constructs. Biomatter. 2013 Jul-Sep;3(3) Authors: Imsirovic J, Derricks K, Buczek-Thomas JA, Rich CB, Nugent MA, Suki B Abstract A broad range of cells are subjected to irregular time varying mechanical stimuli within the body, particularly in the respiratory and circulatory systems. Mechanical stretch is an important factor in determining cell function; however, the effects of variable stretch remain unexplored. In order to investigate the effects of variable stretch, we designed, built and tested a uniaxial stretching device that can stretch three-dimensional tissue constructs while varying the strain amplitude from cycle to cycle. The device is the first to apply variable stretching signals to cells in tissues or three dimensional tissue constructs. Following device validation, we applied 20% uniaxial strain to Gelfoam samples seeded with neonatal rat lung fibroblasts with different levels of variability (0%, 25%, 50% and 75%). RT-PCR was then performed to measure the effects of variable stretch on key molecules involved in cell-matrix interactions including: collagen 1α, lysyl oxidase, α-actin, β1 integrin, β3 integrin, syndecan-4, and vascular endothelial growth factor-A. Adding variability to the stretching signal upregulated, downregulated or had no effect on mRNA production depending on the molecu...
Source: Biomatter - Category: Biotechnology Tags: Biomatter Source Type: research