Soft connective tissues at steady state are dynamic; resident cells continually read
environmental cues and respond to them to promote homeostasis, including maintenance of …

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 …

Cell migration affects all morphogenetic processes and contributes to numerous diseases,
including cancer and cardiovascular disease. For most cells in most environments …

Cell adhesions to the extracellular matrix (ECM) are necessary for morphogenesis, immunity
and wound healing,. Focal adhesions are multifunctional organelles that mediate cell–ECM …

Stimuli that promote cell migration, such as chemokines, cytokines, and growth factors in
metazoans and cyclic AMP in Dictyostelium, activate signaling pathways that control …

Stem cells sense and respond to the mechanical properties of the extracellular matrix.
However, both the extent to which extracellular-matrix mechanics affect stem-cell fate in …

Cellular responses to mechanical forces are crucial in embryonic development and adult
physiology, and are involved in numerous diseases, including atherosclerosis …

Integrin-based adhesion has served as a model for studying the central role of adhesion in
migration. In this article, we outline modes of migration, both integrin-dependent and …

Integrins bind extracellular matrix fibrils and associate with intracellular actin filaments
through a variety of cytoskeletal linker proteins to mechanically connect intracellular and …

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 …