材料表面的拓扑形貌能够机械地调节细胞的行为和功能，这对组织再生至关重要。然而，细胞是如何感知和响应材料表面形貌，例如界面粗糙度，目前还没有完全理解，甚至还存在争议。四川大学魏强课题组，系统研究了表面粗糙度对人脐带间充质干细胞的机械转导和命运决定。通过一步倾斜浸涂法制备的儿茶酚聚甘油涂层能够构建具有梯度粗糙度的材料表面。结果表明，间充质干细胞的粘附受界面粗糙度的双向调节。从局部粘附到转录活性的细胞力学转导被研究，这解释了细胞对界面粗糙度的反应经历了一个直接的力依赖机制。

The topographic features of an implant, which mechanically regulate cell behaviors and functions, are critical for the clinical success in tissue regeneration. How cells sense and respond to the topographical cues, e.g., interfacial roughness, is yet to be fully understood and even debatable. Here, the mechanotransduction and fate determination of human mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) on surface roughness gradients are systematically studied. The broad range of topographical scales and high-throughput imaging is achieved based on a catecholic polyglycerol coating fabricated by a one-step-tilted dip-coating approach. It is revealed that the adhesion of MSCs is biphasically regulated by interfacial roughness. The cell mechanotransduction is investigated from focal adhesion to transcriptional activity, which explains that cellular response to interfacial roughness undergoes a direct force-dependent mechanism. Moreover, the optimized roughness for promoting cell fate specification is explored.

DOI: 10.1002/smll.201905422

(王鹏)