Mechanical properties of extracellular matrices (ECMs) regulate essential cell behaviours,
including differentiation, migration and proliferation, through mechanotransduction. Studies …

Cell adhesion to the extracellular matrix is fundamental to tissue integrity and human health.
Integrins are the main cellular adhesion receptors that through multifaceted roles as …

The actin cytoskeleton—a collection of actin filaments with their accessory and regulatory
proteins—is the primary force-generating machinery in the cell. It can produce pushing …

The ability of cells to follow gradients of extracellular matrix stiffness—durotaxis—has been
implicated in development, fibrosis, and cancer. Here, we found multicellular clusters that …

Soft connective tissues at steady state are dynamic; resident cells continually read
environmental cues and respond to them to promote homeostasis, including maintenance of …

Chemical and physical properties of the environment control cell proliferation, differentiation,
or apoptosis in the long term. However, to be able to move and migrate through a complex …

During cell migration, the forces generated in the actin cytoskeleton are transmitted across
transmembrane receptors to the extracellular matrix or other cells through a series of …

The linkage of cells to their microenvironment is mediated by a series of bonds that
dynamically engage and disengage, in what has been conceptualized as the molecular …

Stress fibers and focal adhesions are complex protein arrays that produce, transmit and
sense mechanical tension. Evidence accumulated over many years led to the conclusion …

Cell migration toward areas of higher extracellular matrix (ECM) rigidity via a process called"
durotaxis" is thought to contribute to development, immune response, and cancer …