Gelatin- and starch-based hydrogels. Part B: In vitro mesenchymal stem cell behavior on the hydrogels.

•Evaluation of the in vitro response of MSC to hydrogels with varying chemical composition (i.e. starch/gelatin ratio, methacrylation degree).•The gelatin- and starch-based hydrogels exhibited no adverse effect on viability of the MSC cultured on them.•On the least crosslinked and thus most flexible hydrogels, the highest degree of adipogenic differentiation of MSC was found.•Osteogenic differentiation of MSC was the strongest on the most rigid, starch-blended hydrogels.•Gelatin-based hydrogels can be optimized regarding maximum promotion of either adipogenic or osteogenic MSC differentiation in vitro.