In a study published, Sept. 8, in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, a team of researchers from the University of Wisconsin-Madison has added a new wrinkle to the cell differentiation equation, showing that the stiffness of the surfaces on which stem cells are grown can exert a profound influence on cell fate.
“To derive lineages, people use soluble growth factors to get the cells to differentiate,” explains Laura Kiessling, a UW-Madison professor of chemistry and biochemistry and stem cell expert.