The relationship between substrate topography and stem cell differentiation in the musculoskeletal system.

The relationship between substrate topography and stem cell differentiation in the musculoskeletal system. Cell Mol Life Sci. 2018 Nov 02;: Authors: Huang J, Chen Y, Tang C, Fei Y, Wu H, Ruan D, Paul ME, Chen X, Yin Z, Heng BC, Chen W, Shen W Abstract It is well known that biomaterial topography can exert a profound influence on various cellular functions such as migration, polarization, and adhesion. With the development and refinement of manufacturing technology, much research has recently been focused on substrate topography-induced cell differentiation, particularly in the field of tissue engineering. Even without biological and chemical stimuli, the differentiation of stem cells can also be initiated by various biomaterials with different topographic features. However, the underlying mechanisms of this biological phenomenon remain elusive. During the past few decades, many researchers have demonstrated that cells can sense the topography of materials through the assembly and polymerization of membrane proteins. Following the activation of RHO, TGF-b or FAK signaling pathways, cells can be induced into various differentiation states. But these signaling pathways often coincide with canonical mechanical transduction pathways, and no firm conclusion has been reached among researchers in this field on topography-specific signaling pathways. On the other hand, some substrate topographies are reported to have the ability to inhibit di...
Source: Cellular and Molecular Life Sciences : CMLS - Category: Cytology Authors: Tags: Cell Mol Life Sci Source Type: research