Biomineralized materials are sophisticated material systems with hierarchical 3D material
architectures, which are broadly used as model systems for fundamental mechanical …

Cell traction force plays a critical role in directing cellular functions, such as proliferation,
migration, and differentiation. Current understanding of cell traction force is largely derived …

The resolution of fluorescence microscopy images is limited by the physical properties of
light. In the last decade, numerous super-resolution microscopy (SRM) approaches have …

Flow visualization technologies such as particle tracking velocimetry are broadly used for
studying three-dimensional turbulent flow in natural and industrial processes. Despite the …

Mechanical properties of the extracellular matrix (ECM) critically regulate a number of
important cell functions including growth, differentiation and migration. Type I collagen and …

Nonlinear stiffening is a ubiquitous property of major types of biopolymers that make up the
extracellular matrices (ECM) including collagen, fibrin, and basement membrane. Within the …

Digital volume correlation (DVC), the volumetric extension of the popular digital image
correlation (DIC) technique, is a powerful experimental tool for measuring 3D volumetric full …

Traction force microscopy (TFM) is one of the most successful and broadly-used force
probing technologies to quantify the mechanical forces in living cells. The displacement …

Stretchable and fracture-resistant elastomers or gels are highly desirable in a wide range of
existing and emerging applications. Fracture of soft materials, especially the ones with …

Cell migration is critical for tissue development and regeneration but requires extracellular
environments that are conducive to motion. Cells may actively generate migratory routes in …