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Letter

Nature Materials 7, 636–640 (1 August 2008) | doi:10.1038/nmat2203

In situ collagen assembly for integrating microfabricated three-dimensional cell-seeded matrices

Brian M. Gillette , Jacob A. Jensen , Beixian Tang , Genevieve J. Yang , Ardalan Bazargan-Lari , Ming Zhong & Samuel K. Sia

Microscale fabrication of three-dimensional (3D) extracellular matrices (ECMs) can be used to mimic the often inhomogeneous and anisotropic properties of native tissues and to construct in vitro cellular microenvironments. Cellular contraction of fibrous natural ECMs (such as fibrin and collagen I) can detach matrices from their surroundings and destroy intended geometry.