Harnessing Mechanical Signals to Control Mesenchymal Stem Cell Fate

DESCRIPTION (provided by applicant): Exercise inhibits fat formation, and serves as a stimulus to form bone and muscle. While increased calorie use during strenuous activity helps to suppress fat accumulation, we have found that adipogenesis in vitro, and adiposity in vivo can also be inhibited in a calorie independent manner by mechanically biasing mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) to favor differentiation towards a musculoskeletal, rather than an adipose fate. The ability to define stem cell lineage by mechanical signals suggests that a 'developmental' rather than a 'metabolic' strategy could be employed to prevent and/or treat diseases such as obesity, diabetes and osteoporosis. In marked contrast to bone/fat outcomes generated by prolonged exercise, we have shown that Low Intensity Vibration (LIV) produces an anabolic response in bone and a marked suppression of fat after short daily treatment time (