Active surface wrinkling influences cell migration behavior and control

Dynamic reorganization of a cell's local microenvironment has been shown to critically alter migration, adhesion, and morphological behaviors in vivo during development, wound healing, and disease. While static microenvironments with patterned topographies, stiffness variations, or chemical gradients have been used to characterize cell responses in vitro, they are incapable of capturing the dynamic functionality of extracellular matrix naturally seen in the body. Here, we use a thermally responsive class of materials, shape memory polymers (SMPs), to dynamically manipulate the topographical environment cells experience. By providing physical manipulation of the microenvironment, we demonstrate the ability to control cell migratory behavior in response to a dynamic topographical change provided by SMPs.