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Biomaterials Regulate Mechanosensors YAP/TAZ in Stem Cell Growth and Differentiation

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Tissue Engineering and Regenerative Medicine Aims and scope

Abstract

Tissue-resident stem cells are surrounded by a microenvironment known as ‘stem cell niche’ which is specific for each stem cell type. This niche comprises of cell-intrinsic and -extrinsic factors like biochemical and biophysical signals, which regulate stem cell characteristics and differentiation. Biochemical signals have been thoroughly studied however, the effect of biophysical signals on stem cell regulation is yet to be completely understood. Biomaterials have aided in addressing this issue since they can provide a defined and tuneable microenvironment resembling in vivo conditions. We review various biomaterials used in many studies which have shown a connection between biomaterial-generated mechanical signals and alteration in stem cell behaviour. Researchers probed to understand the mechanism of mechanotransduction and reported that the signals from the extracellular matrix regulate a transcription factor yes-associated protein (YAP)/transcriptional coactivator with PDZ-binding motif (TAZ), which is a downstream-regulator of the Hippo pathway and it transduces the mechanical signals inside the nucleus. We highlight the role of the YAP/TAZ as mechanotransducers in stem cell self-renewal and differentiation in response to substrate stiffness, also the possibility of mechanobiology as the emerging field of regenerative medicines and three-dimensional tissue printing.

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Acknowledgements

We would to acknowledge Sunandan Divatia School of Science, NMIMS (deemed to-be University) and Symbiosis Centre for Stem Cell Research (SCSCR), Symbiosis International University, for providing the necessary resources and infrastructure. The work was funded by Department of Biotechnology (DBT), Govt of India, sanction order BT/PR28474/MED/31/393/2018. JKV was provided Senior Research Fellowship by Council of Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR).

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  1. Department of Biological Science, Sunandan Divatia School of Science, SVKM’s NMIMS (Deemed to-be) University, Mumbai, India

    Jasmeet Kaur Virdi

  2. Symbiosis Centre for Stem Cell Research (SCSCR), Symbiosis International University, Lavale, Mulshi, Pune, 412115, India

    Prasad Pethe

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Virdi, J.K., Pethe, P. Biomaterials Regulate Mechanosensors YAP/TAZ in Stem Cell Growth and Differentiation. Tissue Eng Regen Med 18, 199–215 (2021). https://doi.org/10.1007/s13770-020-00301-4

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