Folding may be described conceptually in terms of trajectories over a landscape of free
energies corresponding to different molecular configurations. In practice, energy landscapes …

Receptor-ligand bonds strengthened by tensile mechanical force are referred to as catch
bonds. This review examines experimental data and biophysical theory to analyze why …

INTRODUCTION Cadherins are an ancient class of transmembrane proteins that are
essential for the formation of multicellular tissues in metazoans. Cadherins link intercellular …

Vinculin is an actin-binding protein thought to reinforce cell-cell and cell-matrix adhesions.
However, how mechanical load affects the vinculin–F-actin bond is unclear. Using a single …

One of the major challenges in modern biology is to understand how the molecular
components of a living cell operate in a highly noisy environment. What are the specific …

Ligand–receptor interactions that are reinforced by mechanical stress, so-called catch-
bonds, play a major role in cell–cell adhesion. They critically contribute to widespread …

Mechanical forces direct a host of cellular and tissue processes. Although much emphasis
has been placed on cell-adhesion complexes as force sensors, the forces must nevertheless …

Classical cadherin cell-cell adhesion proteins play key morphogenetic roles during
development and are essential for maintaining tissue integrity in multicellular organisms …

Cellular architectures are promising in a variety of engineering applications due to attractive
material properties. Additive manufacturing has reduced the difficulty in the fabrication of …

The mechanical stiffness of a cell's environment exerts a strong, but variable, influence on
cell behavior and fate. For example, different cell types cultured on compliant substrates …