Adult Stem Cell Responses to Nanostimuli

Abstract

Adult or mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) have been found in different tissues in the body, residing in stem cell microenvironments called “stem cell niches”. They play different roles but their main activity is to maintain tissue homeostasis and repair throughout the lifetime of an organism. Their ability to differentiate into different cell types makes them an ideal tool to study tissue development and to use them in cell-based therapies. This differentiation process is subject to both internal and external forces at the nanoscale level and this response of stem cells to nanostimuli is the focus of this review.

Keywords

• stem cells
• stem cell niche
• MSC
• nanoforces
• nanotopography
• nanovibration
• mechanotransduction
• ECM
• cell adhesion