Non-viral gene delivery regulated by stiffness of cell adhesion substrates

The rigidity of the cell adhesion substrate on the level of gene transfer and expression, was investigated. Gene-transfer efficiency was investigated using a fluorescent resonance energy transfer (FRET) technique, as FRET techniques have been extensively used to evaluate specific intermolecular interactions at the nanometre scale. The mechanical properties of the substrate to which cell adheres have been found to mediate many aspects of cell function including proliferation, migration and differentiations. The study indicated the importance of material mechanics in regulating gene transfer and expression, and also enabled to understand the gene transfer processes in different tissues.