Effects of Surface Roughness on Cell Morphology and Motility

Abstract

Geometrical surface properties can influence the cell adhesion behavior, which is a fundamental process directly involved in cell growth, migration and differentiation. Cells interact with these external environmental conditions via membrane protein integrins. This responsiveness depends on the types and the activation level of integrins, eliciting different intracellular signaling pathways. Human fibroblasts are seeded on the surfaces of different roughness. The morphology of the cells are evaluated by characterizing the total cell spreading area and the degree of stretching represented by the shape factor, and significant differences on different surface conditions with larger spreading area and stretching on rough surfaces. Moreover, on the heterogeneous surface with smooth and rough regions, fibroblasts tend to align themselves along the interface while spreading their body on the rough side of the interface. Since the cell spreading and migration are both related to focal adhesion complexes and stress fiber formations, we studied the difference in focal adhesion (FA) and stress fibers. Motility of fibroblasts are also greatly enhanced by rough surfaces with higher turnover of FA and polarized actin stressfibers.