Physicochemical cues are not potent regulators of human dermal fibroblast trans-differentiation

Due to their inherent plasticity, dermal fibroblasts hold great promise in regenerative medicine. Although biological signals have been well-established as potent regulators of dermal fibroblast function, it is still unclear whether physiochemical cues can induce dermal fibroblast trans-differentiation. Herein, we evaluated the combined effect of surface topography, substrate rigidity, collagen type I coating and macromolecular crowding in human dermal fibroblast cultures. Our data indicate that tissue culture plastic and collagen type I coating increased cell proliferation and metabolic activity. None of the assessed in vitro microenvironment modulators affected cell viability. Anisotropic surface topography induced bidirectional cell morphology, especially on more rigid (1,000 kPa and 130 kPa) substrates. Macromolecular crowding increased various collagen types, but not fibronectin, deposition. Macromolecular crowding induced globular extracellular matrix deposition, independently of the properties of the substrate. At day 14 (longest time point assessed), macromolecular crowding downregulated tenascin C (in 9 out of the 14 groups), aggrecan (in 13 out of the 14 groups), osteonectin (in 13 out of the 14 groups), and collagen type I (in all groups). Overall, our data suggest that physicochemical cues (such surface topography, substrate rigidity, collagen coating and macromolecular crowding) are not as potent as biological signals in inducing dermal fibroblast trans-differentiation.