56 Cell and Material Interface
dynamically regulated by these specialized niches. However, it should be noted that
not only ECM components have an inuence on the fate of stem cells but cells also
produce and remodel their microenvironment. Cell–ECM interaction is reciprocal
(Petreaca and Martins-Green, 2007; Kurtz and Oh, 2012). As discussed earlier,
the properties of stem cell niche are important determinants of stem cell behav-
ior. Properties of stem cell niches and several tissues’ niches have been reviewed
in detail by several researchers (Lander et al., 2012; Gattazzo et al., 2014; Han
etal., 2014). Considerable efforts have been put to engineer physical microenvi-
ronments of stem cells. The development of scaffolds mimicking nat