• Key Laboratory of Biomechanics and Mechanobiology, Ministry of Education, Beijing Advanced Innovation Center for Biomedical Engineering, School of Biological Science and Medical Engineering, Beihang University, Beijing 100083, P. R. China;
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Stem cells have been regarded with promising application potential in tissue engineering and regenerative medicine due to their self-renewal and multidirectional differentiation abilities. However, their fate is relied on their local microenvironment, or niche. Recent studied have demonstrated that biophysical factors, defined as physical microenvironment in which stem cells located play a vital role in regulating stem cell committed differentiation. In vitro, synthetic physical microenvironments can be used to precisely control a variety of biophysical properties. On this basis, the effect of biophysical properties such as matrix stiffness, matrix topography and mechanical force on the committed differentiation of stem cells was further investigated. This paper summarizes the approach of mechanical models of artificial physical microenvironment and reviews the effects of different biophysical characteristics on stem cell differentiation, in order to provide reference for future research and development in related fields.

Citation: LI Chiyu, FAN Yubo, ZHENG Lisha. Differentiation of stem cells regulated by biophysical cues. Journal of Biomedical Engineering, 2023, 40(4): 609-616. doi: 10.7507/1001-5515.202208002 Copy

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