17/01/2019
A wide variety of cellular processes, including mechanosensing, cell-cell communication, and functional binding sites involve cell anchoring to the ECM fibers and straining them that induces a stiffening response of the matrix. The storage modulus (i.e. the stiffness in the linear viscoelastic regime) of PIC gels falls into the category of soft biomaterials, which means that primarily the difference in critical stress governs the real mechanical properties of the microenvironment of encapsulated cells.
On deformation beyond a critical stress, σc, PIC gels can stiffen up a factor of 100, analogous to fibrin and collagen.