Joachim P. Spatz

TL;DR: The mechanisms of such environmental sensing are discussed, based on the finely tuned crosstalk between the assembly of one type of integrin-based adhesion complex, namely focal adhesions, and the forces that are at work in the associated cytoskeletal network owing to actin polymerization and actomyosin contraction.

TL;DR: It is concluded that stem cells exert a mechanical force on collagen fibres and gauge the feedback to make cell-fate decisions, and are regulated by the elastic modulus of PAAm.

TL;DR: It is proposed that the range between 58-73 nm is a universal length scale for integrin clustering and activation, since these properties are shared by a variety of cultured cells.

TL;DR: It is shown that cell-surface attachment is not sensitive to pattern density, whereas the formation of stable focal adhesions and persistent spreading is, and a critical RGD density is essential for the establishment of mature and stable integrin adhesion, which, in turn, induce efficient cell spreading and formation of focal adhesion dynamics.

TL;DR: Comparing and contrast chemomechanical pathways whereby intracellular structural rearrangements lead to global changes in mechanical deformability of the cell, and examining the biochemical conditions mediating increases or decreases in modulus, and their implications for disease progression are compared.