Comparative analysis of transcriptomic profiles from rat oligodendrocytes cultured on flat vs micropillar hydrogels

Oligodendrocytes (OLs) play a critical role in central nervous system (CNS) function by myelinating axons and facilitating rapid signal conduction. To model the biomechanical cues that regulate myelination, we developed a tunable hydrogel-based micropillar array that mimics the three-dimensional (3D) architecture and mechanical softness of axons. We show that culturing OLs on micropillars, compared to flat hydrogels, promotes advanced maturation stages of myelinating OLs, more closely resembling those observed in vivo. These findings highlight the high physiological relevance of our model.