biostudies-literatureShirke PUDBT/Wellcome Trust India Alliance356-367https://www.ebi.ac.uk/biostudies/studies/S-EPMC7616456biostudies-literatureUnknown135Directed cell migration plays a crucial role in physiological and pathological conditions. One important mechanical cue, known to influence cell migration, is the gradient of substrate elastic modulus (E). However, the cellular microenvironment is viscoelastic and hence the elastic property alone is not sufficient to define its material characteristics. To bridge this gap, in this study, we investigated the influence of the gradient of viscous property of the substrate, as defined by loss modulus (G^″) on cell migration. We cultured human mesenchymal stem cells (hMSCs) on a collagen-coated polyacrylamide gel with constant storage modulus (G^') but with a gradient in the loss modulus (G^″). We found hMSCs to migrate from high to low loss modulus. We have termedActa biomaterialia"Viscotaxis"- directed migration of mesenchymal stem cells in response to loss modulus gradient.PMC7616456IA/M/15/1/502018Kumar VVenkatesh KVSeth JRDas SBellare JMayor SShah DBeri SGoswami HShirke PUMajumder Afalse"Viscotaxis"- directed migration of mesenchymal stem cells in response to loss modulus gradient.Directed cell migration plays a crucial role in physiological and pathological conditions. One important mechanical cue, known to influence cell migration, is the gradient of substrate elastic modulus (E). However, the cellular microenvironment is viscoelastic and hence the elastic property alone is not sufficient to define its material characteristics. To bridge this gap, in this study, we investigated the influence of the gradient of viscous property of the substrate, as defined by loss modulus (G^″) on cell migration. We cultured human mesenchymal stem cells (hMSCs) on a collagen-coated polyacrylamide gel with constant storage modulus (G^') but with a gradient in the loss modulus (G^″). We found hMSCs to migrate from high to low loss modulus. We have termed2021-01-01T00:00:00Z2021 Nov2025-04-18T13:24:49.325Z2025-04-06T23:04:40.085ZS-EPMC76164563446978810.1016/j.actbio.2021.08.039