Steering Cell Orientation Through Light-Based Spatiotemporal Modulation of the Mechanical Environment

Researchers observed that 2D stiffness micropatterns induced cardiac fibroblasts (cFBs) anisotropic alignment, independent of the stimulus timing, but dependent on the micropattern spacing. cFBs exhibited organized alignment also in response to 3D stiffness macropatterns, dependent on the stimulus timing and temporally followed by ECM co-alignment.