Optimization of Cellular Alignment for Nerve Guidance

Anisotropic tissues have important biomedical engineering applications, but it is not yet known which types or properties of anisotropic tissues are sufficient for nerve guidance. In this study, we generated confluent and aligned monolayers of Schwann cells (SCs), astrocytes, and endothelial cells (ECs). The influence of protein patterning parameters on cellular confluence and alignment was modeled and analyzed quantitatively, and optimal conditions were determined for each cell type. Confluent and aligned monolayers of astrocytes, ECs, and SCs were achieved through culture on micropatterned proteins, but the predicted optimal conditions by which these monolayers can be achieved varied among the cell types tested. The systematic optimization of biochemical mechanisms to enhance cellular alignment and confluence was investigated as a first step toward generating anisotropic tissues and biomimetic substrates for studying neuron guidance.