Nanofabrication: A cue for cellular differentiation

lating these implants. Increasing evidence proved that adhesionrelated non-chemical signals such as mechanical force and topography can play an equally important and complementary role like chemical signals. Current efforts are focused on scrutinising the influence of various geometries and densities of ordered nanoparticle arrays on the morphology of pluripotent cells and lineage specification of human mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs). The development of ‘smart’ materials and their routine application in medical devices will benefit greatly from the identification of topographies that elicit specific cellular responses, understanding how cells interpret these topographic cues and designing new strategies to couple topography with chemical, mechanical and other vital cell stimuli 1,2 .