Advances in mesenchymal cells differentiation and function

Tissue maintenance and regeneration depends on the adult stem cells (ASCs) from the bone marrow or adipose tissue that have the capacity to differentiate into multi lineages cell fate. The stem cells fate is detected in the cell niche is defined by chemical and physical cues. Also changes in the niche stiffness is a driving power in maintaining of the stem cell state as quiescent, dividing or differentiating cells to a certain lineage. The study on ASCs in aging and metabolic disease of skeletal tissues show decline in the cells' number, proliferation capacity and their fate is altered and is also emphasized in their limited potential for therapy. The age – related declined of the skeletal mass (osteopenia and sarcopenia) is noted along with an increase of adipose tissue appearance in these sites. The interplay of the mesenchymal ASCs differentiation between musculoskeletal cells to the adipocyte cells play an important role in the tissues physiology. The alteration affects also the tissue structure from mechanical views and the cells serve a read out mechano-senesitivite that determinant the cell fate according to the changes in stiffness of the stem cells niche. New aspects related to molecular modulation and biomechanical cues on ASCs regulation of their fate and differentiation potential are presented. The overall tissue functionality relies of the ASCs responsiveness to signals in their niche and the maintenance of the tissue microenvironment and evidence for mechano-biology control become also of clinically relevant.