Biophysical matrix cues from the regenerating niche direct muscle stem cell fate in engineered microenvironments.

ABSTRACT: Skeletal muscle stem cells (MuSCs) are essential for efficacious muscle repair, making MuSCs promising therapeutic targets for tissue engineering and regenerative medicine. MuSCs are presented with a diverse and temporally defined set of cues from their microenvironment during regeneration that direct stem cell expansion, differentiation, and return to quiescence. Understanding the complex interplay among these biophysical and biochemical cues is necessary to develop therapies targeting or employing MuSCs. To probe the role of mechanical cues presented by the extracellular matrix, we leverage chemically defined hydrogel substrates with controllable stiffness and adhesive ligand composition to characterize the MuSC response to matrix cues presented during early and late phases of regenerati

SUBMITTER: Madl CM 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC8325634 | biostudies-literature | 2021 Aug

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature