(722g) Invited: Building the Case for Fiber Curvature: An Essential and Critical Biophysical Cue in Cell Biology

Extracellular matrix (ECM) environment comprises of individual and bundles of protein fibers that vary in diameter (nanoscale-to-microscale), orientation (random-to-aligned), and mechanical stiffness (soft-to-stiff). Collectively, these present a variety of curvature and topographical cues that initiate instantaneous cell-matrix protrusive interactions leading to cell migration through establishment of focal adhesion contractile machinery. In this talk, I will discuss the biophysics of curvature driven cell-fiber interactions that while recognized to be critical, are still largely unexplored. Using the non-electrospinning spinneret based tunable engineered parameters (STEP) fiber platform, I will discuss our findings of how cells wrap-around (coil) and form protrusions of diverse shapes and lengths on fibers of varying diameters (nano-microscale). Using nanonet force microscopy (NFM), I will discuss our findings in curvature driven physical forces that modulate spatiotemporal organization of focal adhesions, cytoskeleton and nucleus during cell spreading. Finally, I will share our findings in role of fiber curvature in cell migration including contact inhibition of locomotion and cell spreading through formation of lateral protrusions in pathological ECM orientations. Overall, I will build the case for studying curvature as an essential and critical biophysical cue in cell biomechanics, adhesion and migration.