The research team of Professors Chuanyue Wu, Guozhi Xiao and Yi Deng from SUSTech recently published their research article entitled “Kindlin-2 regulates mesenchymal stem cell differentiation through control of YAP1/TAZ” in The Journal of Cell Biology. Dr. Ling Guo from the Department of Biology, SUSTech, and Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Cell Microenvironment and Disease Research, is the first author.  Professor Chuanyue Wu is the corresponding author of this research article.

Mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) are capable of differentiating into multiple cell lineages including osteoblasts and adipocytes in response to environment cues. Mesenchymal stem cell (MSC) fate decision is strongly influenced by cell microenvironment.  Wu’s group identify kindlin-2 as a key determinant of MSC lineage commitment and delineate a novel signaling pathway consisting of kindlin-2, RhoA, MLCK, AIP4 and YAP1/TAZ that senses mechanical cues of cell microenvironment and controls MSC differentiation. These findings reveal a novel kindlin-2 signaling axis that senses the mechanical cues of cell microenvironment and controls MSC fate decision, and suggest a new strategy to regulate MSC differentiation, tissue repair and regeneration.

Link to the paper: http://jcb.rupress.org/content/early/2018/02/28/jcb.201612177