Cells of the vascular wall are exquisitely sensitive to changes in their mechanical
environment. In healthy vessels, mechanical forces regulate signaling and gene expression …

As a major component of the human body, the extracellular matrix (ECM) is a complex
biopolymer network. The ECM not only hosts a plethora of biochemical interactions but also …

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

Thoracic aortic diseases that involve progressive enlargement, acute dissection, or rupture
are influenced by the hemodynamic loads and mechanical properties of the wall. We have …

It is generally accepted that fibroblast-to-myofibroblast differentiation represents a key event
during wound healing and tissue repair. The high contractile force generated by …

There has been a consistent increase in the mean life expectancy of the population of the
developed world over the past century. Healthy life expectancy, however, has not increased …

Significance: Myofibroblasts are responsible for wound closure that occurs in healed acute
wounds. However, their actions can result in disfiguring scar contractures, compromised …

Contractile cells can reorganize fibrous extracellular matrices and form dense tracts of fibers
between neighboring cells. These tracts guide the development of tubular tissue structures …

Fibrous connective tissues provide mechanical support and frameworks for other tissues of
the body and play an integral role in normal tissue physiology and pathology. Three …

The past two decades reveal a growing role of continuum biomechanics in understanding
homeostasis, adaptation, and disease progression in soft tissues. In this paper, we briefly …