Stem cells sense stiffness
Stem cells can sense the texture of whatever medium they’re growing on and use this quality to guide their fate, according to new research.
Unlike other cells in the body, stem cells start out with the ability to morph into many types of tissues. Scientists have proposed transplanting these cells to repair parts of the body damaged by illness or wear. However, before that scenario can play out in the clinic, researchers must learn how to tightly control what tissues stem cells become.