Figure 4.

Actin cytoskeleton in stem cell differentiation. Cellular spreading (blue line), elasticity (green line), and F-actin density (orange line) are some of the properties that change during stem cell differentiation and can predict the cell's fate. Substrates with different mechanical characteristics influence the rearrangement of the F-actin cytoskeleton in the differentiation process modulating cellular spreading, elasticity, and F-actin. In the case of adipocytes, they have less F-actin and spreading but are more elastic compared to chondrocytes and osteocytes. On the other hand, osteocytes have the opposite context than adipocytes. They are less elastic but with higher F-actin and spreading. Chondrocytes display intermediate properties of adipocytes and osteocytes considering these three properties (by Dr. Ambriz, 2018).