Expression data from Skeletal Stem Cells cultured in 3-dimensional (3D) Collagen. Expression data from Skeletal Stem Cells cultured in 3-dimensional (3D) Collagen

Skeletal stem cells (SSCs) reside in a 3-dimensional extracellular matrix (ECM) compartment and differentiate into multiple cell lineages, thereby controlling tissue maintenance and regeneration. Within this environment, SSCs can proteolytically remodel the surrounding ECM in response to growth factors that direct lineage commitment. In the bone tissue, type I collagen is the most abundant ECM. The dominant type I collagenolytic proteinase found in mammals is the type I transmembrane MMP, MMP14. Therefore, SSCs from Mmp14+/+ or Mmp14-/- mice were cultured in collagen hydrogels to explore the gene expression regulated by ECM remodeling. Microarrays were used to detail the gene expression underlying ECM remodeling process in SSCs. Overall design: mRNA was harvested from collagen-embedded wild-type and Mmp14 knockout SSCs after a 48 h culture period and hybridization on Affymetrix microarrays to screen for transcriptional changes.