title: Crystalline calcium carbonate and hydrogels as microenvironment for stem cells.
abstract: Stem cell development and fate decisions are dictated by the microenvironment in which the stem cell is embedded. Among the advanced goals of tissue engineering is the creation of a microenvironment that will support the maintenance and differentiation of the stem cell--based on embryonic and adult stem cells as potent, cellular sources--for a variety of clinical applications. This review discusses some of the approaches used to create regulatory and instructive microenvironments for the directed differentiation of mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) using three-dimensional crystalline calcium carbonate biomaterials of marine origin combined with a hydrated gel based on hyaluronan.
authors.affiliation: Department of Biotechnology Engineering, Ben-Gurion University of the Negev, Beer-Sheva 84105, Israel.
authors.forename: Liliana
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Astachov
authors.forename: Zvi
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Nevo
authors.forename: Moran
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Aviv
authors.forename: Razi
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Vago
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D037421:Anthozoa; D001672:Biocompatible Materials; D002119:Calcium Carbonate; D002236:Carbohydrate Conformation; D002454:Cell Differentiation; D006820:Hyaluronic Acid; D020100:Hydrogels; D013234:Stem Cells / Q000166:cytology* / Q000502:physiology; D023822:Tissue Engineering / Q000379:methods*
chemical_list: D001672:Biocompatible Materials; D020100:Hydrogels; D006820:Hyaluronic Acid; D002119:Calcium Carbonate