Mechanobiology 2019
Mechanical cues are increasingly appreciated to play essential roles regulating cellular processes, shaping organismal development and homeostasis, and contributing to diseases, including cancer, atherosclerosis, and osteoporosis. Studies at the intersection of biology and physics examining force sensing, transduction, and conversion into biochemical signals, as well as characterizing cellular responses to mechanical inputs are critical to understand how cells interact with other cells and their environment. To celebrate recent progress in this field, JCB Editorial Board member Martin Schwartz and Scientific Editor Andrea Marat assembled a collection of recent, exciting JCB studies shedding light on mechanosensitive pathways at the level of single cells and tissues. Articles were chosen based upon topics and usage (requests for full-text versions of the paper by our readers). We are delighted to share this selection of studies that add to our understanding of how the cytoskeleton, force-sensing and transducing apparatus of the cell contribute to cellular adhesion, migration, shape, and survival. We hope you will enjoy this collection and look forward to your feedback on social media.
Image © 2018 Graham et al.
