Control of cancer cell phenotypes via supramolecular hydrogels: the role of extracellular matrix stiffness

Abstract

Malignant cell lines are frequently used as a model to understand cancer and identify potential new treatments. However, maintaining the initial cancer cell phenotypes in a culture remains an important challenge and strongly impacts the proper evaluation of novel therapeutic approaches. The mechanical properties of the extracellular matrix (ECM) are known to strongly impact the fate and phenotype of cells. Herein, we report a tunable artificial ECM based on supramolecular gels, allowing the control of cancer cell phenotypes.