ABSTRACT
Stem cells are a promising biological source for cell therapy, tissue engineering, drug development, and disease modeling. Stem cells can provide more specialized cell types for these applications. However, there remain significant challenges in conventional two-dimensional stem cell culturing techniques. These challenges include low functionality and low rates of self-renewal and differentiation. In the past decades, the microenvironments or niches of stem cells have been elucidated, and it is now clear that these play crucial roles in cellular functions, interactions, and signaling of stem cells. To generate stem cells that are optimized for practical applications, researchers are exploring the design and manufacture of biomaterial scaffolds and devices that can mimic naturally occurring stem cell microenvironments using various microengineering techniques. In this chapter, we highlight recent advancements in biomimetic microengineering platforms that can manipulate biophysical and biochemical factors to guide stem cell fate and function.
