Extracellular matrix (ECM) remodelling is integral to numerous
physiological and pathological processes in biology, such as
embryogenesis, wound healing, fibrosis and cancer. Until recently,
most cellular studies have been conducted on 2D environments
where mechanical cues significantly differ from physiologically
relevant 3D environments, impacting cellular behaviour and
masking the interpretation of cellular function in health and disease.
We present an integrated methodology where cell-ECM interactions
can be investigated in 3D environments via ECM remodelling.
Monitoring and quantification of collagen-I structure in remodelled
matrices, through designated algorithms, show that 3D matrices can
be used to correlate remodelling with increased ECM stiffness
observed in fibrosis. Pancreatic stellate cells (PSCs) are the key
effectors of the stromal fibrosis associated to pancreatic cancer. We
use PSCs to implement our methodology and demonstrate that PSC
matrix remodelling capabilities depend on their contractile machinery
and β1 integrin-mediated cell-ECM attachment.