Cells change their form and function by assembling actin stress fibers at their base and
exerting traction forces on their extracellular matrix (ECM) adhesions. Individual stress fibers …

The connection between integrins and actin is driving the field of cell migration in new
directions. Integrins and actin are coupled through a physical linkage, which provides …

Recent methods have revealed that cells on planar substrates exert both shear (in-plane)
and normal (out-of-plane) tractions against the extracellular matrix (ECM). However, the …

Integrin-dependent adhesions are mechanosensitive structures in which talin mediates a
linkage to actin filaments either directly or indirectly by recruiting vinculin. Here, we report …

Focal adhesions mediate force transfer between ECM-integrin complexes and the
cytoskeleton. Although vinculin has been implicated in force transmission, few direct …

The interplay between the mechanical properties of cells and the forces that they produce
internally or that are externally applied to them play an important role in maintaining the …

Keratocytes are fast-moving cells in which adhesion dynamics are tightly coupled to the
actin polymerization motor that drives migration, resulting in highly coordinated cell …

Mechanical forces provide critical inputs for proper cellular functions. The interplay between
the generation of, and response to, mechanical forces regulate such cellular processes as …

To understand how cells sense and adapt to mechanical stress, we applied tensional forces
to magnetic microbeads bound to cell-surface integrin receptors and measured changes in …

Throughout their lives, all cells constantly experience and respond to various mechanical
forces. These frequently originate externally but can also arise internally as a result of the …