Exploiting shape memory to study the effect of change in fiber alignment on cancer cell motility

Extracellular matrix (ECM) architecture can play a critical role in cell motility during disease pathogenesis, including that of cancer. Aligned collagen fibers have previously been used to study the effect of ECM architecture on cancer cell motility. Due in part to the stasis of such in vitro model systems, the relationship between changes in ECM architecture and cell motility remains poorly understood. The goal of the present study was to establish a model system to study the effect of change in fiber alignment on cell motility. We present a model system that employs a programmable shape memory electrospun scaffold and automated cell tracking and show that changes in fiber alignment can direct cell motility.