Geometric Control of Cell Life and Death
Christopher S. Chen,
Milan Mrksich,
Sui Huang,
George M. Whitesides,
Donald E. Ingber
*
Human and bovine capillary endothelial cells were switched from
growth to apoptosis by using micropatterned substrates that contained
extracellular matrix-coated adhesive islands of decreasing size to
progressively restrict cell extension. Cell spreading also was varied
while maintaining the total cell-matrix contact area constant by
changing the spacing between multiple focal adhesion-sized islands.
Cell shape was found to govern whether individual cells grow or die,
regardless of the type of matrix protein or antibody to integrin used
to mediate adhesion. Local geometric control of cell growth and
viability may therefore represent a fundamental mechanism for
developmental regulation within the tissue microenvironment.
C. S. Chen, S. Huang, D. E. Ingber, Departments of Surgery and
Pathology, Children's Hospital-Harvard Medical School, Enders 1007, 300 Longwood Avenue, Boston, MA 02115, USA.
M. Mrksich and G. M. Whitesides, Department of Chemistry, Harvard
University, Cambridge, MA 02138, USA.
*
To whom correspondence should be addressed. E-mail:
ingber{at}a1.tch.harvard.edu
