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Updated: Aug 7, 2026

Blastomere Explants to Test for Cell Fate Commitment During Embryonic Development
Published on: January 26, 2013
What's in a niche? Elucidating the role of the ECM in cell fate commitment
1Department of Anatomy and Embryology, Leiden University Medical Center, 2333ZC Leiden, the Netherlands; The Novo Nordisk Foundation Center for Stem Cell Medicine (reNEW), Leiden University Medical Center, the Netherlands.
Abstract:
Emerging work is shedding light on how integrin engagement can be harnessed to modulate cell behaviour by deepening our understanding of the downstream signalling cascades activated upon extracellular matrix (ECM) binding. In many culture systems, integrin-mediated adhesion works in concert with exogenously supplied growth factors or small molecules to guide differentiation. Altogether, cell-ECM interactions via integrin-mediated adhesion are a driving force in regulating stem cell fate. In this mini-review, we highlight key studies that demonstrate how the ECM influences lineage specification in both in vivo and in vitro settings, and we discuss how these insights may shape the future of organoid culture systems.
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