Phytochrome-based extracellular matrix with reversibly tunable mechanical properties
Hörner M, Raute K, Hummel B, Madl J, Creusen G, Thomas OS, Christen EH, Hotz N, Gübeli RJ, Engesser R, Rebmann B, Lauer J, Rolauffs B, Timmer J, Schamel WWA, Pruszak J, Römer W, Zurbriggen MD, Friedrich C, Walther A, Minguet S, Sawarkar R, Weber W.
Interrogation and control of cellular fate and function using optogenetics is providing revolutionary insights into biology. Here, a fast and reversibly switchable photoreceptor is used to tune the mechanical properties of polymer materials in a fully reversible, wavelengthspecific, and dose- and space-controlled manner. These materials are applied to study in human mesenchymal stem cells how different mechanosignaling pathways respond to changing mechanical environments and to control the migration of primary immune cells in 3D.
