title: Effect of substrate stiffness on differentiation of umbilical cord stem cells.
abstract: Tissue formation and maintenance is regulated by various factors, including biological, physiological and physical signals transmitted between cells as well as originating from cell-substrate interactions. In our study, the osteogenic potential of mesenchymal stromal/stem cells isolated from umbilical cord Wharton's jelly (UC-MSCs) was investigated in relation to the substrate rigidity on polyacrylamide hydrogel (PAAM). Osteogenic differentiation of UC-MSCs was enhanced on stiff substrate compared to soft substrates, illustrating that the mechanical environment can play a role in differentiation of this type of cells. These results show that substrate stiffness can regulate UC-MSCs differentiation, and hence may have significant implications for design of biomaterials with appropriate mechanical properties for regenerative medicine.
authors.affiliation: Department of Biophysics and Human Physiology, Centre of Biostructure Research, Medical University of Warsaw, Warszawa, Poland. mwitkowska@wum.edu.pl
authors.forename: Małgorzata
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Witkowska-Zimny
authors.forename: Katarzyna
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Walenko
authors.forename: Anna Ewa
authors.initials: AE
authors.lastname: Wałkiewicz
authors.forename: Zygmunt
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Pojda
authors.forename: Jacek
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Przybylski
authors.forename: Małgorzata
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Lewandowska-Szumieł
mesh_terms: D000180:Acrylic Resins / Q000737:chemistry*; D002454:Cell Differentiation; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D003094:Collagen / Q000378:metabolism; D050659:Core Binding Factor Alpha 1 Subunit / Q000378:metabolism; D055119:Elastic Modulus; D006801:Humans; D020100:Hydrogels / Q000737:chemistry*; D059630:Mesenchymal Stem Cells / Q000378:metabolism / Q000502:physiology*; D015675:Osteocalcin / Q000378:metabolism; D010012:Osteogenesis; D054457:Tissue Scaffolds / Q000737:chemistry; D059631:Wharton Jelly / Q000166:cytology*
chemical_list: D000180:Acrylic Resins; D050659:Core Binding Factor Alpha 1 Subunit; D020100:Hydrogels; C493709:RUNX2 protein, human; C016680:polyacrylamide gels; D015675:Osteocalcin; D003094:Collagen