The growth and differentiation of mesenchymal stem and progenitor cells cultured on aligned collagen matrices

Abstract Cell-matrix interactions are paramount for the successful repair and regeneration of damaged and diseased tissue. Since many tissues have an anisotropic architecture, it has been proposed that aligned extracellular matrix (ECM) structures in particular could guide and support the differentiation of resident mesenchymal stem and progenitor cells (MSCs). We therefore created aligned collagen type I structures using a microfluidic set-up with the aim to assess their impact on MSC growth and differentiation. In addition, we refined our aligned collagen matrices by incorporating the glycosaminoglycan (GAG) heparin to demonstrate the versatility of the applied methodology to study multiple ECM components in a single system. Our reconstituted, aligned ECM structures maintained and allowed multilineage (osteogenic/adipogenic/chondrogenic) differentiation of MSCs. Most noticeable was the observation that during osteogenesis, aligned collagen substrates choreographed ordered matrix mineralization. Likewise, myotube assembly of C2C12 cells was profoundly influenced by aligned topographic features resulting in enhanced myotube organization and length. Our results shed light on the regulation of MSCs through directional ECM structures and demonstrate the versatility of these cell culture platforms for guiding the morphogenesis of tissue types with anisotropic structures.