 Stem cells respond to mechanical cues in order to maintain their viability and differentiate into specialized cells. These cues include substrate stiffness, surface nanotopography, micro geometry, and extracellular forces. Force isotropy, which refers to the uniformity of forces applied to the cell, is important for understanding how these forces affect stem cell behavior. This article was authored by Michel M. Nover, Manuela T. Ramondi and Ricardo Pietrobissa.