Cellular Mechanics and Interactions

Deciphering Mechanochemical Influences of Emergent Actomyosin Crosstalk using QCM-D

This study uses QCM-D to measure how actomyosin bundles respond to changes in myosin II concentration and nucleotide state, revealing insights into their viscoelastic behavior and mechanosensing capabilities.

Actin polymerization counteracts prewetting of N-WASP on supported lipid bilayers

The paper shows that actin polymerization counteracts N-WASP prewetting on lipid bilayers, revealing a balance between condensate formation and dissolution in cortical condensates.

Tuning mechanical milieux of tissue templates and their cellular inhabitants to guide mechanoadaptation

This study investigates how microtubule stabilization with paclitaxel alters MSC mechanoadaptation and lineage commitment by modifying their mechanical environment and cytoskeletal responses.

Mechanical communication through the ECM is frequency-dependent due to cell sensitivity to mechanical signal shape

This study quantifies how cardiac cells respond to mechanical signals shaped by ECM viscoelasticity, showing frequency-dependent communication efficiency.

Image-based force inference by biomechanical simulation

The paper introduces a method to infer forces from microscopy images of C. elegans embryos, validated by laser ablation, to study morphogenesis.

The open to closed D-loop conformational switch determines length in filopodia-like actin bundles

The paper identifies antibodies that lengthen filopodia-like actin bundles by stabilizing the open D-loop conformation of actin filaments, revealing a mechanism for regulating their length.

TPM4 condensates glycolytic enzymes to fuel actin reorganization under hyperosmotic stress

The paper shows that TPM4 forms condensates with glycolytic enzymes under hyperosmotic stress, linking actin reorganization to metabolic activity.

SCRATCH: A programmable, open-hardware, benchtop robot that automatically scratches cultured tissues to investigate cell migration, healing, and tissue sculpting.

The paper introduces a robotic system for automated tissue scratching to study cell migration and healing, improving reproducibility and throughput.

Metabolically intact nuclei are fluidized by the activity of the chromatin remodeling motor BRG1

This study shows that BRG1 activity fluidizes the nucleus, altering its stiffness and dissipating mechanical energy, with implications for nuclear mechanics and remodeling.

PIEZO-dependent mechano-sensing of the niche is essential for intestinal stem cell fate decision and maintenance

This study shows PIEZO channels are essential for intestinal stem cell maintenance by sensing mechanical cues from their niche.

Planar polarized force propagation integrates cell behavior with tissue shaping during convergent extension

The paper investigates how polarized cellular forces during 4-cell rosette resolution drive tissue-scale convergent extension by enabling force propagation and proper cell packing.

High throughput cell mechanotyping of cell response to cytoskeletal modulations using a microfluidic cell deformation system

This paper develops a microfluidic system for high-throughput mechanotyping of cells to study cytoskeletal modulations and their effects on cellular mechanics.

Mechanical forces instruct division plane orientation of cambium stem cells during radial growth in Arabidopsis thaliana

The paper investigates how mechanical forces guide cambium stem cell division plane orientation in Arabidopsis thaliana during radial growth using simulations and anatomical analyses.

EMT-dependent cell-matrix interactions are linked to unjamming transitions in cancer spheroid invasion

This study investigates how EMT-dependent cell-matrix interactions influence unjamming transitions in cancer spheroid invasion using 3D invasion assays and quantitative image analysis.

Altered Mechanobiology of PDAC Cells with Acquired Chemoresistance to Gemcitabine and Paclitaxel.

This study investigates altered mechanobiology in PDAC cells with acquired chemoresistance to gemcitabine and paclitaxel, finding increased traction forces and altered motility and invasion.

Interplay of geometry and mechanics in epithelial wound healing

This study develops a mathematical model to predict epithelial wound healing outcomes based on geometric and mechanical properties, validated through experiments on MDCK cells.

Dynamic cortical behavior of plant protoplasts reveals unexpected similarities between plant and animal cells

The paper shows plant protoplasts can form protrusions, challenging the view of plant cells as static and revealing similarities with animal cells.

Spatial confinement induces oscillatory migration of epidermal keratinocytes and forms a three-compartment epithelial structure with epithelial-mesenchymal transition dynamics

This study shows that keratinocytes migrate through confined spaces in an oscillatory manner, forming a three-compartment epithelial structure with EMT and MET dynamics.

2.5D Actuating Substrates Enable Decoupling the Mechanical and Biochemical Effects of Muscle Exercise on Motor Neurons

This study uses 2.5D actuating substrates to show that both mechanical and biochemical effects of muscle exercise significantly influence motor neuron growth and maturation.

Extracellular matrix dependent regulation of Septin 7 in focal adhesions promotes mechanosensing and response in fibroblasts.

This study shows Septin-7 is an FA protein regulated by ECM and integrin activation, which differentially regulates FA subpopulations to promote mechanosensing and ECM remodeling in fibroblasts.

Initiation of Lumen Formation from Junctions via Differential Actomyosin Contractility Regulated by Dynamic Recruitment of Rasip1

This study identifies Rasip1's role in regulating actomyosin contractility to initiate lumen formation from junctions in zebrafish.

Mechanical activation of VE-cadherin stimulates AMPK to increase endothelial cell metabolism and vasodilation

Uncovering the Emergent Robustness and Treadmilling in a Cell-Mimicking Actin Cortex: Mechanistic insights from basic components

The paper recreates an artificial actomyosin cortex on a bilayer membrane using minimal components, revealing mechanisms of cortical thickness regulation and robustness to concentration fluctuations.

Spatiotemporal coordination of actin regulators generates invasive protrusions in cell-cell fusion

The paper identifies the spatiotemporal coordination of WAVE and N-WASP with actin-bundling proteins to generate invasive protrusions during cell-cell fusion.

Molecular counting of myosin force generators in growing filopodia

The paper counts membrane-bound myosin motors in growing filopodia and finds their number is log-normally distributed, suggesting myosins contribute significant force comparable to actin polymerization.

Bacterial Engineered Living Materials modulate Mechanosignaling in Mammalian Cells

This study shows that genetically programmed mechanical properties of bacterial engineered living materials modulate mechanosignaling in mammalian cells.

Confinement modulates axial patterning in regenerating Hydra

This study shows that mechanical confinement in Hydra regeneration can lead to multiaxial body plans due to nematic topological defects in actomyosin fibers, challenging the idea that axial patterning relies solely on biochemical gradients.

Developing a Soft Micropatterned Substrate to Enhance Maturation of Human Induced Pluripotent Stem Cell-Derived Cardiomyocytes (hiPSC-CMs)

This paper develops a micropatterned substrate to enhance maturation of hiPSC-CMs, finding optimal maturation occurs at three weeks on a soft PDMS substrate.

Quantitative measurements of shear stress-dependent adhesion and motion of Dictyostelium discoideum cells in a microfluidic device

This study measures how shear stress affects adhesion and motion of Dictyostelium discoideum cells using a microfluidic device and time-lapse videomicroscopy.

Disentangling the contributions of stress fibres and the unbundled actin meshwork to the anisotropy of cortical tension in response to cell shape

This study quantifies how cell shape influences cortical tension anisotropy by separating contributions from bundled and unbundled actin structures.