Figure 2.

Microenvironment stiffness can regulate adipogenesis. During adipogenesis, the cells undergo substantial morphological modifications where spindle-shaped fibroblast-like preadipocytes become rounded mature adipocytes. There is an extensive reorganization of the cytoskeleton that allows lipid droplet growth and expansion. Upon adipogenic stimulation, the inhibition of Ras homolog family member A (RhoA) and Rho-associated protein kinases (ROCKs) disrupts actin cytoskeleton structures allowing adipogenesis. Thus, the inactive form, RHO GDP, promotes adipogenesis. However, in stiff environments, focal adhesion assembly is promoted, RHO GTP activates ROCK, which, in turn, activates F-actin stress fiber formation and translocation of YAP/TAZ to the nucleus, which breaks adipogenesis.