Scaffold stiffness affects oligodendrocyte proliferation via cell traction forces

Abstract

Drugs that promote the regeneration of the central nervous system (CNS) have motivated the development of a method to assess the functions of CNS cells, such as oligodendrocytes, which sustain the homeostasis of neuronal networks. In this study, we evaluated the effects of scaffold stiffness on the phenotypic and transcriptomic levels of MO3.13 cells, a human oligodendrocyte lineage cell line. Cells cultured on gels of varying stiffness exhibited different growth potentials. RNA sequencing detected differences in the expression of genes associated with cell proliferation and actin cytoskeleton polymerization. Treatment with actin polymerization inhibitor prevented changes in the growth potential, which were mediated by cell traction forces. These results suggest that scaffold stiffness-transduced biological signaling is an important factor to consider when assessing CNS cell function.