Morphogen-driven differentiation is precluded by physical confinement in human iPSCs spheroids.

Introduction: Cell lineage specification is tightly associated with profound morphological changes in the developing human embryo, particularly during gastrulation. The interplay between mechanical forces and biochemical signals is poorly understood.

Methods: Here, we dissect the effects of biochemical cues and physical confinement on a 3D model based on spheroids formed from human induced pluripotent stem cells (hiPSCs).