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Materials as stem cell regulators

Nature Materials volume 13, pages 547–557 (2014)Cite this article

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An Erratum to this article was published on 20 June 2014

This article has been updated

Abstract

The stem cell/material interface is a complex, dynamic microenvironment in which the cell and the material cooperatively dictate one another's fate: the cell by remodelling its surroundings, and the material through its inherent properties (such as adhesivity, stiffness, nanostructure or degradability). Stem cells in contact with materials are able to sense their properties, integrate cues via signal propagation and ultimately translate parallel signalling information into cell fate decisions. However, discovering the mechanisms by which stem cells respond to inherent material characteristics is challenging because of the highly complex, multicomponent signalling milieu present in the stem cell environment. In this Review, we discuss recent evidence that shows that inherent material properties may be engineered to dictate stem cell fate decisions, and overview a subset of the operative signal transduction mechanisms that have begun to emerge. Further developments in stem cell engineering and mechanotransduction are poised to have substantial implications for stem cell biology and regenerative medicine.

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Figure 1: Inherent material properties.
Figure 2: Stiffness, nanotopography and chemical functionality influence the behaviour of human mesenchymal stem cells.
Figure 3: Cell–material interactions established at the outset but evolving during the course of cell culture regulate the behaviour of mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs).
Figure 4: 'Give and take' at the stem cell/material interface.
Figure 5: Autocatalytic processes in stem cell culture.
Figure 6: Materials-based signalling mechanisms within cells.

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Change history

  • 22 May 2014

    In the version of this Review Article originally published, Fig. 6 was incorrect; it has now been replaced by the correct figure in the online versions of the Review Article.

  • 20 June 2014

    Nature Materials 13, 547–557 (2014); published online 21 May 2014; corrected after print 22 May 2014. In the version of this Review Article originally published, Fig. 6 was incorrect; it should have been as shown below. This error has now been corrected in the online versions of the Review Article.

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Acknowledgements

We thank M. Kinney for assistance with schematics, and acknowledge support from the National Institutes of Health (grants R01HL093282 to W.L.M., R01GM088291 and TR01AR062006 to T.C.M., and DP02OD006460 and R21HL106529 to A.J.E.) and the National Science Foundation (grants DMR1306482 and DMR1105591 to W.L.M.).

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Departments of Biomedical Engineering and Orthopedics and Rehabilitation, University of Wisconsin, Madison, 53705, Wisconsin, USA

    William L. Murphy

  2. Stem Cell and Regenerative Medicine Center, University of Wisconsin, Madison, 53705, Wisconsin, USA

    William L. Murphy

  3. The Wallace H. Coulter Department of Biomedical Engineering, Georgia Institute of Technology and Emory University, Atlanta, 30332, Georgia, USA

    Todd C. McDevitt

  4. The Parker H. Petit Institute for Bioengineering and Bioscience, Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta, 30332, Georgia, USA

    Todd C. McDevitt

  5. Department of Bioengineering, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, 92093, California, USA

    Adam J. Engler

  6. Sanford Consortium for Regenerative Medicine, La Jolla, 92037, California, USA

    Adam J. Engler

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  1. William L. Murphy
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  2. Todd C. McDevitt
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  3. Adam J. Engler
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Correspondence to William L. Murphy.

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The authors declare no competing financial interests.

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Murphy, W., McDevitt, T. & Engler, A. Materials as stem cell regulators. Nature Mater 13, 547–557 (2014). https://doi.org/10.1038/nmat3937

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