title: Modulation of stem cell differentiation with biomaterials.
abstract: Differentiation of stem cells can be controlled with interactions with microenvironments of the stem cells. The interactions contain various signals including soluble growth factor signal, cell adhesion signal, and mechanical signal, which can modulate differentiation of stem cells. Biomaterials can provide these types of signals to induce desirable cellular differentiation. Biomaterials can deliver soluble growth factors locally to stem cells at a controlled rate for a long period. Stem cell adhesion to specific adhesion molecules presented by biomaterials can induce specific differentiation. Mechanical signals can be delivered to stem cells seeded onto biomaterial scaffolds. These approaches would be invaluable for direction of stem cell differentiation and in vivo tissue regeneration using stem cells.
authors.affiliation: Interdisciplinary Program of Bioengineering, Seoul National University, Seoul, Korea.
authors.forename: Hyeon-Ki
authors.initials: HK
authors.lastname: Jang
authors.affiliation: Interdisciplinary Program of Bioengineering, Seoul National University, Seoul, Korea ; School of Chemical and Biological Engineering, Seoul National University, Seoul, Korea.
authors.forename: Byung-Soo
authors.initials: BS
authors.lastname: Kim
keywords: Biomaterial; Differentiation; Growth factor; Scaffold; Stem cells