title: Mechanisms of disease: the biophysical interpretation of the ECM affects physiological and pathophysiological cellular behavior.
abstract: Physiological and pathophysiological migration during the development and systemic spread of tumor cells requires a highly regulated interaction with the extracellular matrix. Sensing of the physical properties of the matrix as well as of forces exerted by the cell or acting on a cell is a prerequisite for productive migration. This review focuses on current concepts of the transmission of a physical stimulus into a biochemical signal in non-neuronal cells. Moreover, we summarize the current concepts on the regulation of affinity-modulation and regulation of protein-turnover for the formation and functionality of adhesion sites with special emphasis on the role of oncogenic signal transduction pathways such as Src family kinases and focal adhesion kinase.
authors.affiliation: Department of Internal Medicine I, University of Ulm, Germany. goetz.wichert@medizin.uni-ulm.de
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: von Wichert
authors.forename: M P
authors.initials: MP
authors.lastname: Sheetz
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001703:Biophysics / Q000379:methods; D002448:Cell Adhesion / Q000502:physiology*; D002450:Cell Communication / Q000502:physiology*; D002465:Cell Movement / Q000502:physiology*; D005109:Extracellular Matrix / Q000502:physiology*; D006801:Humans; D040542:Mechanotransduction, Cellular / Q000502:physiology*; D008954:Models, Biological; D009369:Neoplasms / Q000503:physiopathology*