The Effect of Cell Geometry on the Phenotypic Behavior of Valvular Interstitial Cells

The Effect of Cell Geometry on the Phenotypic Behavior of Valvular Interstitial Cells

Derek M. Montoya^1,2, Olivia A. Bell^1,2, Matthew N. Rush^1,3, and Elizabeth Hedberg-Dirk^1,2

¹Center for Biomedical Engineering, ²Department of Chemical and Biological Engineering,

 ³Nanoscience and Microsystems Engineering,

University of New Mexico, Albuquerque, NM

Valvular Interstitial Cells (VICs) are the primary cells of the aortic heart valves responsible for valve formation, maintenance, and disease progression. Using well-defined surface chemistries, our lab has established two distinct VIC phenotypes for study of heathy/activated and diseased behavior. When activated, elongated VICs may spontaneously undergo differentiation into an osteoblast-like phenotype, with a rhomboidal geometry, which is responsible for calcification of the heart valve.¹ It has previously been shown that changes in cell geometry, such as those exhibited during healthy and diseased states in VICs, can affect cell fate through changes in cytoskeletal signaling.² To better understand which factors, surface chemistry or cell geometry, provide greater influence to activated or osteoblastic VIC phenotypes, we will examine the effect of pattern geometry on the phenotypic behavior of VICs grown on functionalized surfaces. Using micro contact printing (μCP), we can pattern surfaces which control the shapes, sizes, and spacing between cells to test for changes in the VIC phenotype. Additionally, we wish to further explore the relationship between the focal adhesions and integrin expression present in healthy vs diseased VICs and the influence on cytoskeletal changes; specifically, we wish to examine how these cytoskeletal changes influence cell geometry.

References: 1) Rush, M.N., Acta Biomaterialia, 28 (2015), 76-85. 2) Chen, C.S., Science, 276 (1997), 1425-1438.