Search research articles

ABOUT JoVE

Overview Leadership Blog JoVE Help Center

AUTHORS

Publishing Process Editorial Board Scope & Policies Peer Review FAQ Submit

LIBRARIANS

Testimonials Subscriptions Access Resources Library Advisory Board FAQ

RESEARCH

JoVE Journal Methods Collections JoVE Encyclopedia of Experiments Archive

EDUCATION

JoVE Core JoVE Business JoVE Science Education JoVE Lab Manual Faculty Resource Center Faculty Site

Terms & Conditions of Use

Related Concept Videos

Stem Cell Culture

Stem Cell Culture

Stem cell research aims to find ways to use stem cells to regenerate and repair cellular damage. Over time, most adult cells undergo the wear and tear of aging and lose their ability to divide and repair themselves. Stem cells do not display a particular morphology or function. Adult stem cells, which exist as a small subset of cells in most tissues, keep dividing and can differentiate into a number of specialized cells generally formed by that tissue. These cells enable the body to renew and...

Distinctive Features of Adult Stem Cells vs Cancer Stem Cells

Distinctive Features of Adult Stem Cells vs Cancer Stem Cells

A stem cell is an unspecialized cell that can divide without limit as needed and can, under specific conditions, differentiate into specialized cells.
Adult stem cells
Adult stem cells are tissue-specific; hence, they divide to develop the tissue from which they originate. One type of adult stem cell is the epithelial stem cell, which gives rise to the keratinocytes in the multiple layers of epithelial cells in the epidermis of the skin. Adult bone marrow has three distinct types of stem cells:...

Embryonic Stem Cells

Embryonic Stem Cells

Embryonic stem (ES) cells were first discovered in mice in 1981 by Martin Evans. In 1998, James Thomson identified a method to isolate embryonic stem cells from humans. Human embryonic stem cells (hESCs) are obtained from 3-5 day old embryos that remain unused after an in vitro fertilization procedure.
ES cells are grown in a culture medium where they can divide indefinitely, creating ES cell lines. Under certain conditions, ES cells can differentiate, either spontaneously into a variety of...

Embryonic Stem Cells

Embryonic Stem Cells

Embryonic stem (ES) cells are undifferentiated pluripotent cells, meaning they can produce any cell type in the body. This gives them tremendous potential in science and medicine since they can generate specific cell types for use in research or to replace body cells lost due to damage or disease.

Source And Potency Of Stem Cells

Source And Potency Of Stem Cells

Stem cells are undifferentiated cells with extensive self-renewal properties that help them maintain their population during the fetal and adult stages of life. They can specialize in all cell types of the human body. However, their differential potential may vary and can be classified into five types. Stem cells can be (1) Totipotent, (2) Pluripotent, (3) Multipotent, (4) Oligopotent, and (5) Unipotent. Each stem cell has a specific origin; the fertilized egg or zygote is a totipotent cell and...

iPS Cell Differentiation

iPS Cell Differentiation

The ability of induced pluripotent stem cells or iPSCs to differentiate into most body cell types has stimulated repair and regenerative medicine research over the past few decades. iPSC-derived blood cells, hepatocytes, beta islet cells, cardiomyocytes, neurons, and other cell types can repair injuries or regenerate damaged tissue in diseases such as diabetes and neurodegenerative disorders.

You might also read

Related Articles

Articles linked to this work by shared authors, journal, and citation graph.

Sort by

Same author

Mechanobiological research fueling the advancement of mechanotherapy and mechanohealth.

Mechanobiology in medicine·2026

Same author

Cell confinement initiates a delayed but heritable loss of chromosomes.

Cell reports·2026

Same author

Cell confinement initiates a delayed but heritable loss of chromosomes.

bioRxiv : the preprint server for biology·2026

Same author

Lipid droplets are rigid and physically suppress phagocytosis, unless cell compression or stretching activates actomyosin.

Molecular biology of the cell·2026

Same author

Clustered macrophages cooperate to eliminate tumors via coordinated intrudopodia.

Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America·2025

Same author

Altered extracellular matrix structure and elevated stiffness in a brain organoid model for disease.

Nature communications·2025

Same journal

RNAbpFlow: base pair-augmented SE(3) flow matching for conditional RNA 3D structure generation.

Nature methods·2026

Same journal

Spatio-DARLIN enables robust and efficient in situ lineage tracing in mice at single-cell resolution.

Nature methods·2026

Same journal

EasyGrid: a versatile platform for automated cryo-EM sample preparation and quality control.

Nature methods·2026

Same journal

Cloud-based microscope enables live neuroimaging for 24 h and beyond with worldwide access.

Nature methods·2026

Same journal

Deep molecular profiling in three dimensions.

Nature methods·2026

Same journal

3D pathology-guided microdissection.

Nature methods·2026

See all related articles

Search research articles

Related Experiment Video

Updated: Jun 9, 2026

Light-Induced Dielectrophoresis for Characterizing the Electrical Behavior of Human Mesenchymal Stem Cells

Light-Induced Dielectrophoresis for Characterizing the Electrical Behavior of Human Mesenchymal Stem Cells

Published on: June 16, 2023

Stem cells feel the difference.

Amnon Buxboim¹, Dennis E Discher

¹University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA.

|September 1, 2010

Summary

This summary is machine-generated.

Micropost arrays with varying heights create flexible substrates for cell growth. This technology enables tunable mechanical environments for cell culture and research.

More Related Videos

Differentiation of a Human Neural Stem Cell Line on Three Dimensional Cultures, Analysis of MicroRNA and Putative Target Genes

Differentiation of a Human Neural Stem Cell Line on Three Dimensional Cultures, Analysis of MicroRNA and Putative Target Genes

Published on: April 12, 2015

Human Pluripotent Stem Cell Culture on Polyvinyl Alcohol-Co-Itaconic Acid Hydrogels with Varying Stiffness Under Xeno-Free Conditions

Human Pluripotent Stem Cell Culture on Polyvinyl Alcohol-Co-Itaconic Acid Hydrogels with Varying Stiffness Under Xeno-Free Conditions

Published on: February 3, 2018

Related Experiment Videos

Last Updated: Jun 9, 2026

Light-Induced Dielectrophoresis for Characterizing the Electrical Behavior of Human Mesenchymal Stem Cells

Light-Induced Dielectrophoresis for Characterizing the Electrical Behavior of Human Mesenchymal Stem Cells

Published on: June 16, 2023

Differentiation of a Human Neural Stem Cell Line on Three Dimensional Cultures, Analysis of MicroRNA and Putative Target Genes

Differentiation of a Human Neural Stem Cell Line on Three Dimensional Cultures, Analysis of MicroRNA and Putative Target Genes

Published on: April 12, 2015

Human Pluripotent Stem Cell Culture on Polyvinyl Alcohol-Co-Itaconic Acid Hydrogels with Varying Stiffness Under Xeno-Free Conditions

Human Pluripotent Stem Cell Culture on Polyvinyl Alcohol-Co-Itaconic Acid Hydrogels with Varying Stiffness Under Xeno-Free Conditions

Published on: February 3, 2018

Area of Science:

Biomaterials Science
Cell Biology
Tissue Engineering

Background:

Cell behavior is significantly influenced by the mechanical properties of their surrounding environment.
Traditional cell culture substrates often lack the ability to mimic the complex and dynamic mechanical cues found in native tissues.

Discussion:

Micropost arrays of varying heights offer a tunable platform to precisely control substrate stiffness.
This approach allows for the systematic investigation of how substrate flexibility impacts cell adhesion, proliferation, and differentiation.
The fabrication method is scalable and adaptable for diverse cell types and experimental designs.

Key Insights:

Substrate flexibility, controlled by micropost height, directly modulates cellular responses.
Engineered micropost arrays provide a versatile tool for mechanobiology research.
This technology facilitates the development of more physiologically relevant *in vitro* cell culture models.

Outlook:

Future applications may include optimizing cell culture for regenerative medicine and drug screening.
Further research can explore the long-term effects of tunable substrates on cell fate and tissue development.
Integration with advanced imaging techniques will enable deeper understanding of cell-matrix interactions.