Images from the DBG

Ventricular cardiomyocytes from neonatal rats can be cultured on substrates coated with extracellular matrix proteins anisotropically. These cardiomyocytes can grow according to spatial cues provided by proteins attached to a substrate. Soft-lithography allows for customizable, micron-scale protein patterns to be “stamped” onto a substrate. This allows for building tissues that more closely resemble their orzanization in vivo. This image shows cardiomyocytes aligned to 10 micron wide lines of fibronectin separated by 10 micron wide lines of fibronectin at a lower concentration.