The mechanical properties of a cell’s microenvironment, or its surrounding extracellular matrix, plays a large role in both physiological and pathological processes. Currently, we are utilizing our mechanically tunable pentenoate-functionalized hyaluronic acid hydrogel system to observe differences in cell morphology as a function of increasing substrate compressive modulus. We have shown that primary human meniscal fibrochondrocytes increase in cell area (indicating more cell spreading) on substrates, or hydrogels, of increasing stiffness. Cell spreading, in addition to other cell behaviors such as migration and new extracellular matrix deposition, are important for regeneration in the meniscus and can be modulate by altering the mechanical properties of a cell’s surrounding microenvironment.

Fluorescent cell images, DoS related to surface area.
SEM image of an electrospun fiber.
 Stained cell.
Selected Publications:

Burkey K, Castillo K, Elrod P, et al. Modulating pentenoate-functionalized hyaluronic acid hydrogel network properties for meniscal fibrochondrocyte mechanotransduction. J Biomed Mater Res. 2023; 111(10): 1525-1537. DOI:10.1002/jbm.a.37551 (https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/jbm.a.37551)