The anchored fibroblast-populated collagen matrix (aFPCM) is an appropriate model to study fibrocontractive disease mechanisms. Our goal was to determine if aFPCM height reduction (compaction) during development is sufficient to predict tension generation. Compaction was quantified daily by both traditional light microscopy and an optical coherence tomography (OCT) system. Contraction in aFPCM was revealed by releasing them from anchorage. We found that aFPCM contraction increase was correlated to the compaction increase. Cytochalasin D treatment reversibly inhibited compaction. Therefore, we demonstrated that aFPCM height reduction efficiently measures compaction, contraction, and relative maturity of the collagen matrix during development or treatment. In addition, we showed that OCT is suitable for effectively imaging the cross-sectional morphology of the aFPCM in culture. This study will pave the way for more efficient studies on the mechanisms of (and treatments that target) migration and contraction in wound healing and Dupuytren's contracture in a tissue environment.

中文翻译：

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通过使用显微镜和光学相干层析成像技术测量锚定胶原蛋白基质的压实度，可预测成纤维细胞张力的产生。

锚定成纤维细胞填充胶原蛋白基质（aFPCM）是研究纤维收缩性疾病机制的合适模型。我们的目标是确定显影过程中aFPCM高度减少（压紧）是否足以预测张力的产生。压实每天通过传统的光学显微镜和光学相干断层扫描（OCT）系统进行定量。通过释放锚固来揭示aFPCM中的收缩。我们发现aFPCM收缩增加与压实度增加相关。细胞松弛素D处理可逆地抑制压实。因此，我们证明了aFPCM高度降低可以有效地测量胶原蛋白基质在发育或治疗过程中的紧致，收缩和相对成熟度。此外，我们表明，OCT适用于有效地成像培养中的aFPCM的横截面形态。这项研究将为在组织环境中伤口愈合和Dupuytren挛缩中迁移和收缩的机制（以及针对性治疗）的更有效研究铺平道路。