Designing Biomaterials To Direct Stem Cell Fate

Abstract

As stem cells are a cornerstone of regenerative medicine, research efforts have been extensively focused on controlling their self-renewal and differentiation. It is well known that stem cells are tightly regulated by a combination of physical and chemical factors from their complex extracellular surroundings; thus, conventional cell culture approaches based purely on using soluble factors to direct stem cell fate have resulted in limited success. To account for the complexities of native stem-cell niches, biomaterials are actively investigated as artificial extracellular matrices in order to mimic the natural microenvironment. This Perspective highlights important areas related to the design of biomaterials to control stem cell behavior, such as cell-responsive ligands, mechanical signals, and delivery of soluble factors.

Combinational effect of matrix elasticity and alendronate density on differentiation of rat mesenchymal stem cells

“…Recently, growing evidence suggests that chemical, physical and mechanical signals from materials and neighboring cells have a profound impact on the differentiation of MSCs [7][8][9][10]. Therefore, it is of paramount importance to precisely understand the interaction between MSCs and the niche consisting of various chemical and physical signals [11][12][13][14][15][16][17].…”

A dermal equivalent developed from adipose-derived stem cells and electrospun polycaprolactone matrix: an in vitro and in vivo study

“…Therefore, topography and matrix elasticity are other chief factors influencing stem cell fate inside the niche. The physical and chemical properties of materials have been described as playing an important role in regulating cell function, and thus the chemical characteristics and physical structures must be mimicked (Cha et al 2012). On the other hand, most of the containers for in vitro cell cultures are commonly fabricated from hydrophobic transparent polystyrene, which has been used for many years for a range of cell types and is not designed specifically for stem cells.…”

Osteoinductive peptide-functionalized nanofibers with highly ordered structure as biomimetic scaffolds for bone tissue engineering

“…12 It has been gradually recognized that among various parameters that influence cell-material interactions, not only topographical but also biochemical cues should be considered in the design of scaffold materials that can mimic the chemical and physical features of microenvironments in native tissues. 13 Thus, the functionalization of nanofibers with bioactive factors is a critical step to construct bone biomimetic scaffolds, which could simultaneously present multiple cues for the regulation of cell fates. Inspired by the manner of biomolecules tethering to the native ECM, a great deal of efforts have been focused on the surface functionalization of nanofibers with osteogenesis-associated proteins in recent years.…”