An investigation into the role of substrate stiffness and oxygen availability in the regulation of stem cell differentiation during tissue regeneration

Abstract

Mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) are multipotent cells which can differentiate down multiple lineages and potentially generate tissues such as cartilage, bone or adipose tissue. It is becoming increasingly clear that mechanical cues also play a key role in determining the fate of such cells. Extrinsic mechanical stimuli such as tissue deformation, fluid flow and hydrostatic pressure have often been implicated as regulators of tissue differentiation in vivo. It has been possible to test different hypotheses for mechano-regulated MSC differentiation by attempting to simulate regenerative events such as bone fracture repair, where repeatable spatial and temporal patterns of tissue differentiation occur.