Mechanobiology of Cells and Matrices

3 units

At the interface of the cell and the extracellular matrix, mechanical forces regulate key cellular and molecular events that profoundly affect aspects of human health and disease. This course offers a detailed review of biomechanical inputs that drive cell behavior in physically diverse matrices. In particular, cytoskeletal force-generation machineries, mechanical roles of cell-cell and cell-matrix adhesions, and regulation of matrix deformations are discussed. Also covered are key methods for mechanical measurements and mathematical modeling of cellular response. Implications of matrix-dependent cell motility in cancer metastasis and embryonic development are discussed.