Nanotopography and Microconfinement Impact on Primary Hippocampal Astrocyte Morphology, Cytoskeleton and Spontaneous Calcium Wave Signalling.
Cells
; 12(2)2023 01 12.
Article
en En
| MEDLINE
| ID: mdl-36672231
Astrocytes' organisation affects the functioning and the fine morphology of the brain, both in physiological and pathological contexts. Although many aspects of their role have been characterised, their complex functions remain, to a certain extent, unclear with respect to their contribution to brain cell communication. Here, we studied the effects of nanotopography and microconfinement on primary hippocampal rat astrocytes. For this purpose, we fabricated nanostructured zirconia surfaces as homogenous substrates and as micrometric patterns, the latter produced by a combination of an additive nanofabrication and micropatterning technique. These engineered substrates reproduce both nanotopographical features and microscale geometries that astrocytes encounter in their natural environment, such as basement membrane topography, as well as blood vessels and axonal fibre topology. The impact of restrictive adhesion manifests in the modulation of several cellular properties of single cells (morphological and actin cytoskeletal changes) and the network organisation and functioning. Calcium wave signalling was observed only in astrocytes grown in confined geometries, with an activity enhancement in cells forming elongated agglomerates with dimensions typical of blood vessels or axon fibres. Our results suggest that calcium oscillation and wave propagation are closely related to astrocytic morphology and actin cytoskeleton organisation.
Palabras clave
Texto completo:
1
Colección:
01-internacional
Base de datos:
MEDLINE
Asunto principal:
Astrocitos
/
Señalización del Calcio
Límite:
Animals
Idioma:
En
Revista:
Cells
Año:
2023
Tipo del documento:
Article
País de afiliación:
Italia
Pais de publicación:
Suiza