Biomaterials as Artificial Niches for Pluripotent Stem Cell Engineering

Human pluripotent stem (PSCs) cells are potentially useful platforms for tissue regenerative medicine and cell-based therapies due to their pluripotent nature and self-renewal capacity. However, controlling human PSC differentiation for generation of functional tissues remains a significant challenge. Numerous factors are involved in this process. Among these, the extracellular microenvironment, which presents various biochemical and biophysical milieus, plays a central role in directing PSC-fate decisions. Recent stem cell research focuses on mimicking the embryonic niche of PSCs using biomaterials that recapitulate aspects of the native microenvironment. In this perspective, we discuss the use of biomaterials as an artificial niche for directing PSC fate and, further, how biomaterials can provide the instructive cues that influence and control the differentiation of PSCs.