FIG. 2.

Viscoelastic biomaterials regulate various aspects of cell behavior. Viscoelastic biomaterials, notably hydrogels, provide time-dependent mechanical cues (i.e., stress relaxation) that affect cell behavior including cell spreading, migration, proliferation, differentiation, and ECM deposition. MSCs have osteogenic, adipogenic, chondrogenic, and myogenic potential, which can be enhanced by appropriate tuning of biomaterial viscoelasticity. ECM, extracellular matrix; MSCs, mesenchymal stem cells.