Fluid Flow Control of Stem Cells With Investigation of Mechanotransduction Pathways

Stem cells in vivo experience shear and chemotransport from fluid flow within mechanically active tissues and while migrating from niches to homing targets in the body. Fluid flow-based strategies in tissue engineering and regenerative medicine mimic the in vivo flow environments to expand and condition cells, to guide stem cell lineage commitment, to study stem cell migration in dynamic environments, and to condition engineered tissues and stimulate extracellular matrix production. Stem cells sense mechanical signals and translate them into appropriate biochemical activities through the process of mechanotransduction via cytoskeletal reorganization and cellular tension signaling, by the regulation of cell–substrate adhesion and cell–cell junctional proteins, and through related downstream signaling molecules. Investigation of mechanotransduction pathways will provide mechanistic insight for improving cell therapies and functional tissue engineering. This chapter discusses fluid flow regulation of stem cell proliferation, quiescence, differentiation, migration, and tissue remodeling with brief discussions of underlying molecular pathways.