The Mechanobiologist’s dilemma: Force, stiffness, and the illusion of adaptation
University of Oxford · Rosalind Franklin Institute
Abstract
Mechanoadaptation, a process by which living cells adjust to the mechanical properties of the environment, is fundamental to their function and behavior. Generating mechanical forces is the main way a cell can acquire information about the physical nature of the immediate micro-environment. Crucially, mechanical force during this interaction is the sole stimulus upon which the cell performs mechanoadaptation. However, quantifying this mechanical interaction is notoriously challenging due to the interdependent relationship between mechanical force, mechanical substrate stiffness, and the resulting spatial displacements. A critical issue, often overlooked in common measurement techniques like traction force…
Citation impact
- FWCI
- 67.08
- Percentile
- 100%
- References
- 70
Authors
3Topics & keywords
- Perspective (graphical)
- Interdependence
- Function (biology)
- Stimulus (psychology)
- Illusion
- Adaptation (eye)
- Stiffness