An integrated mechanostimulation system for probing architecture based calcium signaling in HUVEC cells

Dynamic signal conduction in endothelial networks plays an important role in endothelial function, and characteristics of the network architecture itself are theorized to play a role in this function. We have therefore developed an integrated mechanostimulation system to create spatiotemporal stimuli including geometric cues, fluidic shear, mechanical deformation, and tunable surface stiffness for probing intercellular communication in artificial networks of human umbilical vein endothelial (HUVEC) cells. The system enables detection of architecture dependent (e.g. linear, grid, and branching patterns), spatiotemporal calcium propagation characteristics such as speed, contact length, and repeated stimulation dependence due to mechanostimulation at the single cell level.