Living biological systems, ranging from single cells to whole organisms, can sense, process
information, and actuate in response to changing environmental conditions. Inspired by …

Tumors are characterized by extracellular matrix (ECM) deposition, remodeling, and cross-
linking that drive fibrosis to stiffen the stroma and promote malignancy. The stiffened stroma …

Physical forces and mechanical properties have critical roles in cellular function, physiology
and disease. Over the past decade, atomic force microscopy (AFM) techniques have …

The formation of multicellular microbial communities, called biofilms, starts from the
adhesion of a few planktonic cells to the surface. The transition from a free-living planktonic …

Cells can detect and react to the biophysical properties of the extracellular environment
through integrin-based adhesion sites and adapt to the extracellular milieu in a process …

Microorganisms have evolved to thrive in virtually any terrestrial and marine environment,
exposing them to various mechanical cues mainly generated by fluid flow and pressure as …

In the wild, bacteria are predominantly associated with surfaces as opposed to existing as
free-swimming, isolated organisms. They are thus subject to surface-specific mechanics …

Cell-cell junctions respond to mechanical forces by changing their organization and
function. To gain insight into the mechanochemical basis underlying junction …

During epithelial tissue development, repair, and homeostasis, adherens junctions (AJs)
ensure intercellular adhesion and tissue integrity while allowing for cell and tissue …

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