Controlling Cell Behavior on Silk Nanofiber Hydrogels\nwith Tunable Anisotropic Structures

Abstract

Understanding the influence of various\nphysical cues on cell behavior is critical for the design of bioactive\nbiomaterials optimized for tissue regeneration. Hydrogels provide\nmicroenvironments suitable for cells and tissues, but the introduction\nof tunable physical cues in hydrogels is often challenging. Here,\nsilk nanofiber hydrogels with tunable, aligned structures were prepared\nunder electric fields and used to influence cell behavior. Cell responses\nto the aligned structures were qualitatively and quantitatively evaluated\nby investigating cell proliferation, morphology, and migration behavior\nwhen compared to cells cultured on silk nanofiber hydrogels with homogeneous\nstructures as controls. The cells seeded on anisotropic hydrogels\nshowed oriented morphology, suggesting the link between aligned physical\ncues on cell morphology. The results indicated that tunable, aligned\nstructures in hydrogels are effective for the design of bioactive\nbiomaterials with preferred functions.