1;Preface;52;Contents;73;Engineering ECM Complexity into Biomaterials for Directing Cell Fate;93.1;Abstract;93.2;1. Cell--ECM Interactions;93.2.1;1.1 ECM Composition and Signaling;103.2.2;1.2 ECM Regulation;113.2.2.1;1.2.1 Proteolytic Processing of the ECM;113.2.2.2;1.2.2 Mechanochemical Translation of Cell-binding ECM Domains;133.3;2. ECM and the Stem Cell Niche;163.3.1;2.1 Integrins: A Sign of ''Stemness'';163.3.2;2.2 Neural Stem Cells and Integrin/ECM Alterations;173.3.2.1;2.2.1 Integrin and ECM Profile During Neural Development;173.3.2.2;2.2.2 ECM and Integrin Profile in Adult Neural Stem Cell Niche;183.3.2.3;2.2.3 Functional Role of ECM/Integrin Interactions;193.4;3. Current Biomaterials Approaches;203.4.1;3.1 Biomimetic Approaches;203.4.2;3.2 Engineering Protein Variants;213.4.3;3.3 Future Directions for Biomaterials as Stem Cell Niches;223.5;References;234;Functional Biomaterials for Controlling Stem Cell Differentiation;274.1;Abstract;274.2;1. Introduction;284.2.1;1.1 Emergence of Stem Cell Engineering in Regenerative Medicine;284.2.2;1.2 Stem Cell Sources;284.3;2. Stem Cell Expansion and Differentiation Using Biomaterials;294.3.1;2.1 Roles of ECM in Stem Cell Differentiation;294.3.2;2.2 Mimicking ECM with Synthetic Biomaterials;304.3.2.1;2.2.1 Mimicking the Biophysical and Biochemical Properties of ECM;304.3.2.1.1;Functionalization of Synthetic Substrates with ECM Derived Ligands;314.3.2.2;2.2.2 Effects of the Cell--Matrix Interface;314.3.2.2.1;Surface Chemistry and Interfacial Energy;314.3.2.3;2.2.3 Mineralization of Matrix Materials;374.3.2.3.1;Mineralization of Polymeric Matrices;384.3.2.3.2;Effect of Mineralization on Cell Adhesion, Proliferation and Differentiation;384.3.2.4;2.2.4 Mechanical Properties;404.3.3;2.3 Biomaterial Based Delivery of Soluble Factors for 3D Cell Culture;404.3.3.1;2.3.1 Incorporation of Bioactive Agents into Matrix Materials;404.3.3.2;2.3.2 Effects of Controlled Delivery of Bioactive Agents on Stem Cell Differentiation;424.3.3.2.1;Delivery of Bioactive Agents to Embryonic Stem Cells;424.3.3.2.2;Tissue Specific Differentiation of Stem Cells Using Delivery of Bioactive Agents;444.3.4;2.4 In Vivo Applications;454.3.5;2.5 Future Perspectives;464.4;Acknowledgments;474.5;References;475;Integration of Biomaterials into 3D Stem Cell Microenvironments;535.1;Abstract;535.2;1. Introduction;535.2.1;1.1 Culture in Two or Three Dimensions;555.2.2;1.2 Strategies for Biomaterial Control of the 3D Microenvironment;555.3;2. Scaffolds;565.4;3. Encapsulation;595.5;4. Microcarriers and Microparticles;605.5.1;4.1 Microcarriers;615.5.2;4.2 Microparticles;615.6;5. Summary and Conclusions;635.7;References;636;Stem Cell Interaction with Topography;686.1;Abstract;686.2;1. Introduction;686.2.1;1.1 Extracellular Topography;696.2.2;1.2 Nanotopography;706.3;2. Nanofabrication Techniques;716.4;3. Stem Cells Reception to Topography;756.4.1;3.1 Embryonic Stem Cells;756.4.2;3.2 Neural Progenitor Cells/Neural Stem Cells;776.4.3;3.3 Mesenchymal Stem Cells;786.5;4. Making Sense of Physical Cues in the Extracellular Matrix: Mechanotransduction;816.5.1;4.1 Introduction to the ECM;816.5.2;4.2 Mechanotransduction: A Direct Connection?;826.5.3;4.3 Connecting with the ECM: Cell--Matrix Interactions;826.5.4;4.4 Integrins and Focal Adhesions: Inside Out and Outside In;846.5.5;4.5 Cytoskeleton: Force Transmission;856.5.5.1;4.5.1 Cell Exerting Forces on the Underlying Substrate;856.5.6;4.6 Filopodia: Probing the ECM;866.5.7;4.7 Nucleus: Gene Regulation;876.6;5. Conclusion;876.7;References;887;The Nanofiber Matrix as an Artificial Stem Cell Niche;957.1;Abstract;957.2;1. The Stem Cell Niche;957.3;2. Nanoscale Topography in the Extracellular Matrix;977.4;3. Methods to Generate Nanofibrous Matrices;987.4.1;3.1 Electrospinning;987.4.2;3.2 Self-assembly;1007.4.3;3.3 Solution Phase Separation;1027.4.4;3.4 Comparison of Nanofiber Generation Methods;1047.5;4.