Although the shapes of organisms are encoded in their genome, the developmental
processes that lead to the final form of vertebrates involve a constant feedback between …

During cell migration, the forces generated in the actin cytoskeleton are transmitted across
transmembrane receptors to the extracellular matrix or other cells through a series of …

The talin-vinculin axis is a key mechanosensing component of cellular focal adhesions. How
talin and vinculin respond to forces and regulate one another remains unclear. By …

Cells perceive their microenvironment not only through soluble signals but also through
physical and mechanical cues, such as extracellular matrix (ECM) stiffness or confined …

Cell adhesion to the extracellular matrix (ECM), mediated by transmembrane receptors of
the integrin family, is exquisitely sensitive to biochemical, structural, and mechanical …

Directed cell migration is a physical process that requires dramatic changes in cell shape
and adhesion to the extracellular matrix. For efficient movement, these processes must be …

Cell surface receptors integrate chemical and mechanical cues to regulate a wide range of
biological processes. Integrin complexes are the mechanotransducers between the …

Focal adhesions lie at the convergence of integrin adhesion, signaling and the actin
cytoskeleton. Cells modify focal adhesions in response to changes in the molecular …

Focal adhesions (FAs) regulate cell migration. Vinculin, with its many potential binding
partners, can interconnect signals in FAs. Despite the well-characterized structure of …

To migrate, a cell first extends protrusions such as lamellipodia and filopodia, forms
adhesions, and finally retracts its tail. The actin cytoskeleton plays a major role in this …