Cell-generated forces recapitulate geometry-defined deformation modes in auxetic and non-auxetic micro-architected scaffolds

Architected scaffolds encode deformation behavior through geometry, enabling auxetic contraction or conventional expansion under applied loading. While these deformation modes are routinely characterized by passive mechanical testing, it remains unclear whether they persist under endogenous, spatially distributed cellular forces. Here, we report the use of "auxetic" and "non-auxetic" elastic, as well as mechanically "stiff" micro-architected scaffolds fabricated by multiphoton lithography to decouple Poisson's ratio from elastic modulus while preserving geometry and porosity. Using neural stem cells as a model system, we show that cell-generated loading produces deformation patterns over time that correspond to those observed under uniaxial compression. Despite fundamentally different loading conditions, transverse deformation remains governed by unit-cell topology, indicating that the geometry-encoded deformation behavior is recapitulated under active cellular loading. This proof-of-concept study supports the predictive value of conventional mechanical characterization for architected biomaterials and provides a framework for investigating architecture-dependent cell-material interactions relevant to tissue engineering and regenerative medicine.