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Increased poly(dimethylsiloxane) stiffness improves viability and morphology of mouse fibroblast cells

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Abstract

We monitored the viability and morphology of mouse fibroblast cells cultured on PDMS substrates with different degrees of polymer stiffness. The stiffness was controlled by varying the ratio between base and crosslinker agent during mixing. Although the standard PDMS mixing ratio is 10: 1 (base to crosslinker; Young’s modulus, E=580 kPa), we found that a PDMS substrate with a high stiffness (mixing ratio of 5: 1, E=1,000 kPa) was more favorable as a substrate for fibroblast cell growth. It is important to note that an extracellular matrix coating was not applied to the PDMS so that the effect of stiffness on cell growth could be studied in isolation. A stiffness reduction of 40% (from a mixing ratio of 5: 1 to 10: 1) produced a significant reduction in survival rate (viability was reduced by 15%), and viability worsened (was reduced by 45%) for a substrate stiffness of 280 kPa (a mixing ratio of 20: 1). The rate of spreading for the cells was measured to show that stiffer materials promoted more prolific fibroblast growth. These results provide PDMS stiffness guidelines for cell culture substrates.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Biomedical Engineering, College of Health Science, Korea University, Seoul, 136-703, Republic of Korea

    Joong Yull Park, Sung Ju Yoo, Eun-Joong Lee, Dae Ho Lee & Sang-Hoon Lee

  2. Department of Biomedical Engineering, College of Engineering, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, Michigan, 48108, USA

    Joong Yull Park

  3. Department of Chemistry, College of Advanced Science, Dankook University, Cheonan, 330-714, Republic of Korea

    Sung Ju Yoo

  4. Division of Molecular and Life Sciences, College of Natural Sciences, Ewha Womans University, Seoul, 120-750, Republic of Korea

    Ji Young Kim

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  1. Joong Yull Park
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Correspondence to Sang-Hoon Lee.

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Park, J.Y., Yoo, S.J., Lee, EJ. et al. Increased poly(dimethylsiloxane) stiffness improves viability and morphology of mouse fibroblast cells. BioChip J 4, 230–236 (2010). https://doi.org/10.1007/s13206-010-4311-9

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s13206-010-4311-9

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