title: A guide to mechanobiology: Where biology and physics meet.
abstract: Cells actively sense and process mechanical information that is provided by the extracellular environment to make decisions about growth, motility and differentiation. It is important to understand the underlying mechanisms given that deregulation of the mechanical properties of the extracellular matrix (ECM) is implicated in various diseases, such as cancer and fibrosis. Moreover, matrix mechanics can be exploited to program stem cell differentiation for organ-on-chip and regenerative medicine applications. Mechanobiology is an emerging multidisciplinary field that encompasses cell and developmental biology, bioengineering and biophysics. Here we provide an introductory overview of the key players important to cellular mechanobiology, taking a biophysical perspective and focusing on a comparison between flat versus three dimensional substrates. This article is part of a Special Issue entitled: Mechanobiology.
authors.affiliation: Systems Biophysics Department, FOM Institute AMOLF, Science Park 104, 1098 XG Amsterdam, The Netherlands.
authors.forename: Karin A
authors.initials: KA
authors.lastname: Jansen
authors.affiliation: Physics of Life Processes, Huygens-Kamerlingh Onnes Laboratory, Leiden University, Niels Bohrweg 2, 2333 CA Leiden, The Netherlands.
authors.forename: Dominique M
authors.initials: DM
authors.lastname: Donato
authors.affiliation: Faculty of Science, Leiden Academic Center for Drug Research, Toxicology, Leiden University, Einsteinweg 55, 2333 CC Leiden, The Netherlands.
authors.forename: Hayri E
authors.initials: HE
authors.lastname: Balcioglu
authors.affiliation: Physics of Life Processes, Huygens-Kamerlingh Onnes Laboratory, Leiden University, Niels Bohrweg 2, 2333 CA Leiden, The Netherlands.
authors.forename: Thomas
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Schmidt
authors.affiliation: Faculty of Science, Leiden Academic Center for Drug Research, Toxicology, Leiden University, Einsteinweg 55, 2333 CC Leiden, The Netherlands.
authors.forename: Erik H J
authors.initials: EH
authors.lastname: Danen
authors.affiliation: Systems Biophysics Department, FOM Institute AMOLF, Science Park 104, 1098 XG Amsterdam, The Netherlands.
authors.forename: Gijsje H
authors.initials: GH
authors.lastname: Koenderink
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D002454:Cell Differentiation; D005109:Extracellular Matrix / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000502:physiology*; D006801:Humans; D009369:Neoplasms / Q000737:chemistry / Q000378:metabolism; D013234:Stem Cells / Q000737:chemistry / Q000378:metabolism
keywords: 2D vs 3D; Cytoskeleton; Extracellular matrix; Integrins; Mechanosensing; Mechanotransduction