Matrices with Compliance Comparable to that of Brain Tissue Select Neuronal over Glial Growth in Mixed Cortical Cultures

Penelope C. Georges; William J. Miller; David F. Meaney; Evelyn S. Sawyer; Paul A. Janmey

doi:10.1529/biophysj.105.073114

FIGURE 3

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Staining for F-actin with phalloidin was used to demonstrate the difference in effect of gel stiffness on actin assembly in both cell types. Astrocytes (A,B) and neurons in mixed culture (C,D) were plated on soft (200 Pa) (A,C) and hard (9 kPa) (B,D) LN-coated PA gels. Actin assembly is disrupted in astrocytes on soft gels as compared to hard, whereas neurons on soft gels have robust actin filaments and enhanced F-actin protrusions (inset). Scale bars, 15 μm (A,B) and 10 μm (C,D).