Browse Topics

Here you will find an in-depth look at the various topics of Mechanobiology. These topics focus on cellular structures and processes and are explored through two methods. Firstly their formation and function is presented, step-by-step, in the Steps in Formation, section. This is supplemented with a Functional Modules section which takes an in depth look at the cellular components that are common to the activity of several structures or processes.
More topics will be added with future updates of this site.

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Cellular Structures in Mechanosensing and Cell Motility

Cells sense their environment through the detection of force and the measurement of mechanical stimuli. This mechanosensing is intertwined with cell motility, which may facilitate sensing of the cell’s surroundings or may occur in response to the stimuli detected. Mechanosensing and Cell Motility involves complex processes and numerous cellular structures. This topic describes the key structures that facilitate mechanosensing and cell motility. How they carry out their function is explored, and the common machinery that keeps each structure running is discussed.

Contents:

Overview
Unit 1: Lamellipodia / Lamella
Unit 2: Filopodia
Unit 3: Podosomes
Unit 4: Invadopodia
Unit 5: Cell-Matrix Adhesions
Unit 6: Cell-Cell Adhesions

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The study of mechanobiology incorporates functional elements and processes of a cell that work in unison to measure, sense and respond to the extracellular environment. For example; cell movement enables mechanosensitive elements to detect external mechanical constraints, but cell movement can also act as a response to an external mechanical signal that is transduced through intracellular biomechanical signaling. With countless intracellular feedback mechanisms regulating each of the various functional elements, developing methods to study this field often requires new technologies and unique procedures.

This topic, ‘Methods in the Study of Mechanobiology’, will explore several of the methods commonly used in the field of mechanobiology.

Note: This topic will be developed over the coming months

Contents:
Unit 2: Microcontact printing
Unit 3: Microfluidics

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Nuclear Mechanotransduction

Eukaryotic cells constantly sense their local microenvironment through surface mechanosensors for physical and soluble signals. Integration of these physicochemical cues by cells not only results in cytoskeletal modifications but also significantly impinges on the functional nuclear landscape and its mechanical properties. However, its physical properties such as morphology, position, stiffness and organization ought to be maintained for proper functioning of the cell. This topic describes the various steps involved in transmission of environmental cues to the nucleus, their effect on the nuclear architecture and function leading to changes that elicit a cellular response. The interdependence of the cytoskeletal and nuclear mechanics in the process of adaptation to the constantly changing environment in order to maintain homeostasis at the cellular as well as systems level is also highlighted.

Contents:
Unit 1: Nuclear Prestress
Unit 2: Higher order chromatin organization and transcription
Unit 3: Nuclear mechanosignaling pathways
Unit 4: Nuclear mechanics in differentiation and diseases
Unit 5: Modeling nuclear mechanics: active stresses, polymers and signaling