Abstract
As our population ages, there is a greater need for a suitable supply of engineered tissues to address a range of debilitating ailments. Stem cell based therapies are envisioned to meet this emerging need. Despite significant progress in controlling stem cell differentiation, it is still difficult to engineer human tissue constructs for transplantation. Recent advances in micro- and nanofabrication techniques have enabled the design of more biomimetic biomaterials that may be used to direct the fate of stem cells. These biomaterials could have a significant impact on the next generation of stem cell based therapies. Here, we highlight the recent progress made by micro- and nanoengineering techniques in the biomaterials field in the context of directing stem cell differentiation. Particular attention is given to the effect of surface topography, chemistry, mechanics and micro- and nanopatterns on the differentiation of embryonic, mesenchymal and neural stem cells.
Highlights
With the increasing number of patients suffering from damaged or diseased organs and the shortage of organ donors, the need for methods to construct human tissues outside the body has risen
This review highlights recent progress made by using micro- and nanoengineered biomaterials to direct the fate of stem cells, with particular emphasis on Embryonic stem cells (ESC), mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) and neural stem cells (NSCs)
For example Engel et al, [48] developed ring and square shaped poly(methyl methacrylate) (PMMA) patterns to control the attachment of rat MSCs (Figure 2C)
Summary
With the increasing number of patients suffering from damaged or diseased organs and the shortage of organ donors, the need for methods to construct human tissues outside the body has risen. Embryonic, induced pluripotent and adult stem cells are promising cell sources in therapeutic and regenerative medicine Due to their ability to self-renew and differentiate into various cell types, these cells could potentially be cultured and harvested for regeneration of damaged, injured and aged tissue [3,4]. Recent advances in micro- and nanofabrication technology have paved the way to create substrates with precise micro- and nanocues, variable stiffness and chemical composition to better mimic the in vivo microenvironment [2,20,21] By employing approaches such as self-assembled monolayers (SAMs), microcontact printing, e-beam, photo- and soft lithography, tissue engineers aim to incorporate topographical, mechanical and chemical cues into biomaterials to control stem cell fate decisions [2,21,22]. This review highlights recent progress made by using micro- and nanoengineered biomaterials to direct the fate of stem cells, with particular emphasis on ESCs, MSCs and NSCs
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