Matrix and tissue rigidity guides many cellular processes, including the differentiation of
stem cells and the migration of cells in health and disease. Cells actively and transiently test …

The chemistry, geometry, topography and mechanical properties of biomaterials modulate
biochemical signals (in particular ligand-receptor binding events) that control cells-matrix …

Neurite outgrowth underlies the wiring of the nervous system during development and
regeneration. Despite a significant body of research, the underlying cytoskeletal mechanics …

How do cells process environmental cues to make decisions? This simple question is still
generating much experimental and theoretical work, at the border of physics, chemistry and …

Mechanical force plays a fundamental role in neuronal development, physiology, and
regeneration. In particular, research has shown that force is involved in growth cone …

Nanowire (NW) arrays offer opportunities for parallel, nondestructive intracellular access for
biomolecule delivery, intracellular recording, and sensing. Spontaneous cell membrane …

Maintenance of neuronal polarity and regulation of cytoskeletal dynamics are vital during
development and to uphold synaptic activity in neuronal networks. Here we show that …

The migratory dynamics of cells can be influenced by the complex microenvironment
through which they move. It remains unclear how the motility machinery of confined cells …

A characteristic feature of motile cells as they undergo a change in motile behavior is the
development of fluctuating exploratory motions of the leading edge, driven by actin …

Growing networks of actin fibers are able to organize into compact, stiff two-dimensional
structures inside lamellipodia of crawling cells. We put forward the hypothesis that the …