Measurement of biomolecular diffusion in extracellular matrix condensed by fibroblasts using fluorescence correlation spectroscopy

PLoS One. 2013 Nov 28;8(11):e82382. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0082382. eCollection 2013.

Abstract

The extracellular matrix (ECM) comprises the heterogeneous environment outside of cells in a biological system. The ECM is dynamically organized and regulated, and many biomolecules secreted from cells diffuse throughout the ECM, regulating a variety of cellular processes. Therefore, investigation of the diffusive behaviors of biomolecules in the extracellular environment is critical. In this study, we investigated the diffusion coefficients of biomolecules of various sizes, measuring from 1 to 10 nm in radius, by fluorescence correlation spectroscopy in contracted collagen gel caused by fibroblasts, a traditional culture model of dynamic rearrangement of collagen fibers. The diffusion coefficients of the biomolecules in control collagen gel without cells decreased slightly as compared to those in solution, while the diffusion coefficients of biomolecules in the contracted gel at the cell vicinity decreased dramatically. Additionally, the diffusion coefficients of biomolecules were inversely correlated with molecular radius. In collagen gels populated with fibroblasts, the diffusion coefficient at the cell vicinity clearly decreased in the first 24 h of culture. Furthermore, molecular diffusion was greatly restricted, with a central focus on the populated cells. By using the obtained diffusion coefficients of biomolecules, we calculated the collagen fiber condensation ratio by fibroblasts in the cell vicinity at 3 days of culture to represent a 52-fold concentration. Thus, biomolecular diffusion is restricted in the vicinity of the cells where collagen fibers are highly condensed.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Cell Line
  • Collagen / metabolism
  • Diffusion
  • Extracellular Matrix / metabolism*
  • Humans
  • Spectrometry, Fluorescence / methods*

Substances

  • Collagen

Grants and funding

This study was supported by grants from the Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science, and Technology of Japan (24106507, 24700454, and 23107006). The funder had no role in study design, data collection and analysis, decision to publish, or preparation of the manuscript.