%0 journal article
%@ 2059-8521
%A Deng, Z., Wang, W., Xu, X., Ma, N., Lendlein, A.

%D 2020
%J MRS Advances
%N 46 - 47
%P 2381-2390 
%R doi:10.1557/adv.2020.235
%T Modulation of Mesenchymal Stem Cell Migration using Programmable Polymer Sheet Actuators
%U https://doi.org/10.1557/adv.2020.235
46 - 47 
%X Recruitment of mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) to damaged tissue is a crucial step to modulate tissue regeneration. Here, the migration of human adipose-derived stem cells (hADSCs) responding to thermal and mechanical stimuli was investigated using programmable shape-memory polymer actuator (SMPA) sheets. Changing the temperature repetitively between 10 and 37 °C, the SMPA sheets are capable of reversibly changing between two different pre-defined shapes like an artificial muscle. Compared to non-actuating sheets, the cells cultured on the programmed actuating sheets presented a higher migration velocity (0.32 ± 0.1 vs. 0.57 ± 0.2 μm/min). These results could motivate the next scientific steps, for example, to investigate the MSCs pre-loaded in organoids towards their migration potential.