title: Material Cues as Potent Regulators of Epigenetics and Stem Cell Function.
abstract: Biophysical signals act as potent regulators of stem cell function, lineage commitment, and epigenetic status. In recent years, synthetic biomaterials have been used to study a wide range of outside-in signaling events, and it is now well appreciated that material cues modulate the epigenome. Here, we review the role of extracellular signals in guiding stem cell behavior via epigenetic regulation, and we stress the role of physicochemical material properties as an often-overlooked modulator of intracellular signaling. We also highlight promising new research tools for ongoing interrogation of the stem cell-material interface.
authors.affiliation: Department of Materials, Imperial College London, Prince Consort Road, London SW7 2AZ, UK; Department of Bioengineering, Imperial College London, Prince Consort Road, London SW7 2AZ, UK; Institute for Biomedical Engineering, Imperial College London, Prince Consort Road, London SW7 2AZ, UK.
authors.forename: Spencer W
authors.initials: SW
authors.lastname: Crowder
authors.affiliation: Department of Materials, Imperial College London, Prince Consort Road, London SW7 2AZ, UK; Department of Bioengineering, Imperial College London, Prince Consort Road, London SW7 2AZ, UK; Institute for Biomedical Engineering, Imperial College London, Prince Consort Road, London SW7 2AZ, UK.
authors.forename: Vincent
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Leonardo
authors.affiliation: Department of Materials, Imperial College London, Prince Consort Road, London SW7 2AZ, UK; Department of Bioengineering, Imperial College London, Prince Consort Road, London SW7 2AZ, UK; Institute for Biomedical Engineering, Imperial College London, Prince Consort Road, London SW7 2AZ, UK.
authors.forename: Thomas
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Whittaker
authors.affiliation: Department of Materials, Imperial College London, Prince Consort Road, London SW7 2AZ, UK.
authors.forename: Peter
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Papathanasiou
authors.affiliation: Department of Materials, Imperial College London, Prince Consort Road, London SW7 2AZ, UK; Department of Bioengineering, Imperial College London, Prince Consort Road, London SW7 2AZ, UK; Institute for Biomedical Engineering, Imperial College London, Prince Consort Road, London SW7 2AZ, UK. Electronic address: m.stevens@imperial.ac.uk.
authors.forename: Molly M
authors.initials: MM
authors.lastname: Stevens
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001672:Biocompatible Materials; D019070:Cell Lineage; D002467:Cell Nucleus / Q000378:metabolism; D048430:Cell Shape; D002843:Chromatin / Q000737:chemistry; D044127:Epigenesis, Genetic; D006801:Humans; D008422:Materials Testing; D018625:Microscopy, Atomic Force; D012038:Regeneration; D015398:Signal Transduction; D013059:Spectrum Analysis, Raman; D013234:Stem Cells / Q000166:cytology*
chemical_list: D001672:Biocompatible Materials; D002843:Chromatin