Integrins are vital surface adhesion receptors that mediate interactions between the
extracellular matrix (ECM) and cells and are essential for cell migration and the …

Stem cells and their local microenvironment, or niche, communicate through mechanical
cues to regulate cell fate and cell behaviour and to guide developmental processes. During …

The way in which cells coordinate their behaviours during various biological processes,
including morphogenesis, cancer progression and tissue remodelling, largely depends on …

Fibroblasts are cells present throughout the human body that are primarily responsible for
the production and maintenance of the extracellular matrix (ECM) within the tissues. They …

Individual cells make decisions that are adapted to their internal state and surroundings, but
how cells can reliably do this remains unclear. To study the information processing capacity …

Hydrogel-based devices are widely used as flexible electronics, biosensors, soft robots, and
intelligent human-machine interfaces. In these applications, high stretchability, low …

It is increasingly clear that mechanotransduction pathways play important roles in regulating
fundamental cellular functions. Of the basic mechanical functions, the determination of …

Transduction of extracellular matrix mechanics affects cell migration, proliferation, and
differentiation. While this mechanotransduction is known to depend on the regulation of focal …

Integrin-mediated cell–matrix adhesions are key to sensing the geometry and rigidity of
extracellular environments and influence vital cellular processes. In vivo, the extracellular …

Extensive studies have shown that cells can sense and modulate the biomechanical
properties of the ECM within their resident microenvironment. Thus, targeting the …