Insights into spheroids formation in cellulose nanofibrils and Matrigel hydrogels using AFM-based techniques

• DOI: 10.1016/j.mtbio.2024.101065
• Publication Date: 2024-04-17T16:58:09Z
• Authors: Roberta Teixeira ...; Ngoc Huynh; Chris S. Pridgeon; Juan José Valle-D...; Riina Harjumäki; Monika Österberg
• Keywords: Spheroid; Matrigel; 3D cell culture

The recent FDA decision to eliminate animal testing requirements emphasises the role of cell models, such as spheroids, regulatory test alternatives for investigations cellular behaviour, drug responses, and disease modelling. influence environment on spheroid formation are incompletely understood, leading uncertainty in matrix selection scaffold-based 3D culture. This study uses atomic force microscopy-based techniques quantify adhesion Matrigel cellulose nanofibrils (CNF), cell-cell forces, their hepatocellular carcinoma (HepG2) induced pluripotent stem cells (iPS(IMR90)-4). Results showed different behaviour CNF cultures. Both lines formed compact spheroids but loose aggregates Matrigel. Interestingly, type protein, not bond strength, appeared be a key factor spheroids. gene expression E- N-cadherins, proteins membrane responsible interactions, was increased culture, while culture integrin-laminin binding downregulated E-cadherin expression, resulting looser aggregates. These findings enhance our understanding cell-biomaterial interactions cultures offer insights improved biomaterials, applications research.