Pressure and distortion regulate human mesenchymal stem cell gene expression

While the concept that physical forces such as tension and compression are involved in mature tissue modeling is widely accepted, the role of these specific types of mechanical loading in the differentiation and maturation of uncommitted cell types like human mesenchymal stem cells (hMSCs) is currently unknown. We observed that hMSCs have the fundamental ability to distinguish between dynamic tensile and compressive loading by regulating distinct gene expression patterns and that these differences in gene expression can be related to conformational changes in cell shape and volume. Dynamic tension was found to regulate both fibroblastic and osteogenic associated genes while dynamic compression up-regulated genes associated with chondrogenesis. Identifying genes involved in the mechanotransduction of different modes of physical loading in hMSC may greatly enhance the ability to rationally design tissue regeneration systems to restore proper tissue function.