A cell surface-reducing microenvironment induces early osteogenic commitment.

Stem cell-based therapy has been highlighted as a potential avenue to promote tissue regeneration, where stimulation of stem cells to differentiate into the targeted cell type is essential. One of the factors that induce stem cells to differentiate is their surrounding microenvironment. In this study, the correlation between mild reductant and early osteogenic commitment was evaluated. A cell surface-reducing microenvironment significantly silenced the transforming growth factor (TGF)-β signaling pathway of mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs), followed by increased focal adhesion and inhibition of cell membrane protein dimerization. Furthermore, in vivo transplantation of MSCs exposed to the reducing microenvironment resulted in an early osteogenic commitment and neobone formation. Thus, these results highlight the potential of cell surface-reducing microenvironment to influence early osteogenic commitment.