ABSTRACT
The ability to control the behavior of living cells in vitro is critical in a wide range of research ‡elds, including fundamental cell biology, tissue engineering, and drug screening.1-3 In general, cellular behavior is a consequence of intrinsic and extrinsic factors. The extrinsic factors are largely derived from the surrounding microenvironment, along with cell-secreted factors, and are comprised of a milieu of biochemical, biomechanical, and bioelectrical signals generated from the surrounding cells, the extracellular matrix (ECM), and the soluble factors. These components vary in both time and space and are integral to the regulation of cellular behaviors.
