title: Union is strength: matrix elasticity and microenvironmental factors codetermine stem cell differentiation fate.
abstract: Stem cells are an attractive cellular source for regenerative medicine and tissue engineering applications due to their multipotency. Although the elasticity of the extracellular matrix (ECM) has been shown to have crucial impacts in directing stem cell differentiation, it is not the only contributing factor. Many researchers have recently attempted to design microenvironments that mimic the stem cell niche with combinations of ECM elasticity and other cues, such as ECM physical properties, soluble biochemical factors and cell-cell interactions, thereby driving cells towards their preferred lineages. Here, we briefly discuss the effect of matrix elasticity on stem cell lineage specification and then summarize recent advances in the study of the combined effects of ECM elasticity and other cues on the differentiation of stem cells, focusing on two aspects: biophysical and biochemical factors. In the future, biomedical scientists will continue investigating the union strength of matrix elasticity and microenvironmental cues for manipulating stem cell fates.
authors.affiliation: The Key Laboratory of Pathobiology, Ministry of Education, Jilin University, Changchun, China.
authors.forename: Hongwei
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Lv
authors.forename: Lisha
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Li
authors.forename: Yin
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.forename: Zhishen
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.forename: Meiyu
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Sun
authors.forename: Tiankai
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Xu
authors.forename: Licheng
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Tian
authors.forename: Man
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Lu
authors.forename: Min
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Ren
authors.forename: Yuanyuan
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Liu
authors.forename: Yulin
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Li
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D002454:Cell Differentiation / Q000502:physiology*; D019070:Cell Lineage / Q000502:physiology*; D005109:Extracellular Matrix / Q000378:metabolism*; D006801:Humans; D044968:Regenerative Medicine; D013234:Stem Cells / Q000166:cytology*; D023822:Tissue Engineering / Q000379:methods