Cellular Mechanics and Interactions

Piezo1 couples fluid shear stress to adaptive genome dynamics by integrating cytoplasmic-nuclear mechanotransduction

The paper shows that Piezo1 mediates fluid shear stress-induced nuclear remodeling and chromatin reorganization in endothelial cells by linking cytoplasmic and nuclear mechanotransduction.

Mechanical analysis of spatiotemporal traction stress dynamics in a bleb-driven migrating cell, Amoeba proteus

This study analyzes traction stress dynamics in Amoeba proteus during bleb-driven migration, revealing front-back asymmetry and periodic stress patterns at cell poles.

ERK builds a population of short-lived nascent adhesions that produce persistent edge protrusion and cell migration

This study shows ERK regulates nascent adhesion dynamics by promoting both assembly and disassembly, creating short-lived adhesions that support persistent cell migration.

Extracellular matrix stiffness determines the phenotypic behavior of dedifferentiated melanoma cells through a DDR1/2-dependent YAP mechanotransduction pathway

This study shows that ECM stiffness influences dedifferentiated melanoma cells via DDR1/2 and YAP, affecting their behavior and drug resistance.

Mechanics and fate stochasticity shape stem cell distribution in tissues

The paper shows mechanical feedback alone can stabilize stem cell populations in tissues without needing adhesion or niche signals.

Heterotypic intercellular adhesion tunes efficiency of cell-on-cell migration

The paper develops an in silico model to show that optimal heterotypic adhesion between migrating and substrate cells enhances transepithelial migration efficiency, supported by in vivo experiments in Drosophila.

Nuclear Packing Sets Fluidity Along the Epithelial to Mesenchymal Spectrum

The paper investigates how nuclear packing affects fluidity during epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition by analyzing spheroid coalescence and nuclear properties.

Glassy dynamics in active epithelia emerge from an interplay of mechanochemical feedback and crowding.

This study shows that glassy dynamics in epithelial tissues arise from mechanochemical feedback and crowding, not just crowding alone.

Mural cell contractility regulates vessel diameter by controlling cell morphology and vessel coverage

This study shows that mural cell contractility and morphology jointly regulate vessel diameter in zebrafish, with vSMCs stabilizing diameter and pericytes having a lesser role.

Myosin activity drives entangled actin networks out-of-equilibrium - a quantitative approach

This paper quantifies how ATP concentration modulates nonequilibrium fluctuations in reconstituted actomyosin networks using mean back relaxation analysis.

Extracellular Matrix Mechanobiology in Pancreatic Ductal Adenocarcinoma: Correlating In Vivo Patient Magnetic Resonance Elastography with Ex Vivo Tissue Mechanics and Histopathology

This study correlates in vivo MRE-derived mechanical properties with ex vivo tissue mechanics and histopathology in PDAC, showing that softer surrounding environments are linked to stiffer tumors and poorer prognosis.

Cell Mechanics Regulate Membrane Tubulation-Driven Trogocytosis in Adherent Cells

This study identifies a membrane-tube-mediated trogocytosis mechanism in adherent cells, showing that uptake depends on target cell viscoelastic properties and shape.

Tension TRAAKer: a chemigenetic fluorescent membrane tension reporter

The paper introduces Tension TRAAKer, a chemigenetic fluorescent membrane tension reporter that visualizes tension dynamics in living cells with high spatiotemporal precision.

Geometric confinement regulates ERK signaling dynamics and collective migration

This study shows that geometric confinement affects ERK signaling and collective migration in epithelial tissues by altering mechanical states through actomyosin contractility.

GCK-4 regulates apical actin organization and lumen formation in the C. elegans intestine

This study identifies GCK-4 as a regulator of apical actin and junction organization in C. elegans intestine lumen formation, showing it acts independently of ERM phosphorylation.

A Cone-Plate Bioreactor for Applying Physiologically Derived Shear Stress Waveforms to Study Endothelial Mechanotransduction and Cardiac Cell Signaling

This paper introduces a cone-plate bioreactor that applies controlled shear stress to endothelial cells and cardiac tissues, showing increased cell alignment and cardiomyocyte proliferation under pulsatile shear.

Elasto-Osmotic Phase Separation in Confluent Cellular Tissues

This study investigates whether mechanical forces during collective epithelial migration can trigger cytoplasmic liquid-liquid phase separation, showing feedback effects on motility.

Vinculin organises apical Transcellular Actin Fibres to coordinate collective migration

This study shows vinculin organizes long-range transcellular actin fibres (TAFs) that coordinate collective migration in MCF10A cells during unjamming.

Ionic Regulation of Mechanosurveillance and Metastasis via the MRTFA/KCNMB1 Axis

This study identifies KCNMB1 and potassium efflux as regulators of cellular stiffness in cancer cells, showing that BK channel activation reduces metastasis and enhances immune cell cytotoxicity.

Local mechanical gradients underlie coordinated cascades of epithelial cell-cycle advance

The paper shows that mechanical gradients from cell division coordinate cell-cycle progression in epithelial tissues through spatially localized high-tension zones.

Rapid aging and disassembly of actin filaments from two evolutionary distant yeasts

This study compares actin filament assembly and disassembly kinetics between two yeast species and mammalian actin, revealing faster aging in yeast actins due to the absence of histidine 73 methylation.

Adhesion-driven tissue rigidification triggers epithelial cell polarity

This study shows that adhesion is the main determinant of tissue rheology and that uncoupling adhesion-driven from density-driven rigidification triggers epithelial organization.

Nuclear confinement from matrix stiffness drives epigenomic reprogramming of gingival fibroblasts

This study shows that matrix stiffness influences epigenomic changes in gingival fibroblasts, with stiff matrices promoting CpG methylation and reduced inflammation, while soft matrices lead to hypomethylation and increased inflammatory signaling.

Quantitative analysis of fibroblast migration reveals migratory states characterized by force generation, cell shape and motion

The paper quantifies fibroblast migration by analyzing force generation, cell shape, and motion, identifying discrete migratory states that are influenced by cytoskeletal organization.

Active and Probe-Free Intracellular Rheology via Phase-Sensitive Thermoviscous Flows

This paper introduces Rheo-FLUCS, a probe-free method to measure cell mechanics using light-induced flows, showing equivalence to active microrheology in different biological systems.

An optopharmacological tool for on-demand perturbation of branched actin polymerization

The paper introduces a photocrosslinkable inhibitor, AZ, to selectively and spatiotemporally control Arp2/3 complex-dependent actin nucleation in live cells.

Optical tweezers combined with FRET tension sensor reveal force-dependent vinculin dynamics

This study uses optical tweezers and FRET microscopy to measure vinculin dynamics under force, finding that recruitment depends on trap stiffness rather than force magnitude.

Investigating active dynamics of contractile actomyosin gels with Micro Particle Image Velocimetry (Micro-PIV) analysis

The paper adapts Micro-PIV to study contractile dynamics of poroelastic gels, revealing common deformation features and enabling stress inference.

Constitutively active mDia1 enables visualization of actin assembly in filopodia

This study identifies a constitutively active mDia1 mutant that enables visualization of actin assembly in filopodia through TIRF microscopy.

Matrix mechanics governs mechano-metabolic adaptation across cancer grades in bladder spheroids

This study shows how bladder cancer spheroids adapt to different matrix stiffnesses through biomechanical and metabolic changes across cancer grades.