METHACRYLATED HUMAN RECOMBINANT COLLAGEN PEPTIDE AS A HYDROGEL FOR MANIPULATING AND MONITORING STIFFNESS-RELATED CARDIAC CELL BEHAVIOR by Mostert et al

Environmental stiffness is a crucial determinant of cell function. There is a longstanding quest for reproducible and (human matrix)bio-mimicking biomaterials with controllable mechanical properties to unravel the relationship between stiffness and cell behavior. Here, we evaluate methacrylated human recombinant collagen peptide (RCPhC1-MA) hydrogels as a matrix to control 3D microenvironmental stiffness and monitor cardiac cell response. We show that RCPhC1-MA can form hydrogels with reproducible stiffness in the range of human developmental and adult myocardium. Human cardiomyocytes (CMs) and cardiac fibroblasts (cFBs) remain viable up to 14 days in RCPhC1-MA hydrogels while the effect of hydrogel stiffness on extracellular matrix production and CM contractility can be monitored in real time. Interestingly, whereas the beating behavior of the CM monocultures is affected by environmental stiffness, this effect ceases when cFBs are present. Together, we demonstrate RCPhC1-MA to be a promising candidate to mimic and control the 3D environment of cardiac cells.