Cadherins are the principal adhesion proteins at intercellular junctions and function as the
biochemical Velcro that binds cells together. Besides this mechanical function, cadherin …

Cell adhesions link cells to the extracellular matrix (ECM) and to each other and depend on
interactions with the actin cytoskeleton. Both cell–ECM and cell–cell adhesion sites contain …

Cancer-associated fibroblasts (CAFs) promote tumour invasion and metastasis. We show
that CAFs exert a physical force on cancer cells that enables their collective invasion. Force …

Dynamics of epithelial tissues determine key processes in development, tissue healing and
cancer invasion. These processes are critically influenced by cell–cell adhesion forces …

Mechanical stress is increasingly being shown to be a potent modulator of cell–cell
junctional morphologies in developmental and homeostatic processes. Intercellular force …

The cytosolic protein α-catenin is a postulated force transducer at cadherin complexes [1].
The demonstration of force activation, identification of consequent downstream events in live …

The shaping of a multicellular body, and the maintenance and repair of adult tissues require
fine-tuning of cell adhesion responses and the transmission of mechanical load between the …

Increased intercellular tension is associated with enhanced cell proliferation and tissue
growth. Here, we present evidence for a force-transduction mechanism that links mechanical …

Neurons and neural stem cells are sensitive to their mechanical and topographical
environment, and cell–substrate binding contributes to this sensitivity to activate signaling …

The rapidly growing field of mechanobiology demands for robust and reproducible
characterization of cell mechanical properties. Recent achievements in understanding the …