Regulation of the Mechanoresponsive Neat1 and PSPC1 by Substrate Stiffness in TGF-β1-Induced Renal Progenitor Cell Fate

Scientists found that TGF-β1 induced mouse kidney progenitor cell differentiation into myofibroblasts on stiff matrices or endothelial-like cells on soft matrices. Matrix stiffness regulated PSPC1 and Neat1 to trigger either TGF-β1-induced transdifferentiation into myofibroblasts or angiogenesis on soft collagen gels.