Summary: This Perspective highlights the key discoveries in integrin research that laid the foundation for a successful field.

Please note that job descriptions are not exhaustive, and you may be asked to take on additional duties that align with the key responsibilities ment...

The mechanobiology of blood brain barrier (BBB) remains underexplored. In this perspective, the authors highlight the emerging importance of mechanical forces in shaping BBB function across developmen...

Cancer-associated fibroblasts (CAFs) adapt to external cues such as therapeutic agents and extracellular matrix (ECM) stiffness in the tumor microenvironment (TME) through a reprogramming process. Her...

Methods to use polyisocyanide as a model matrix for 3D cell culture. Polyisocyanide gels closely mimic the physical properties of biogels such as collagen and fibrin and, as fully synthetic materials,...

Epithelial protein lost in neoplasm (EPLIN), an actin-binding protein, has been described as both a tumor promoter and tumor suppressor in different c…

Highlighted Article: Cyclin–CDK1 complexes have a previously undiscovered role in regulating normal and cancer cell migration in 3D matrices.

“No cell is an island” – highlights the interconnectedness of cellular behavior and the extracellular matrix (ECM). Cell migration is inherently conte…

Fourwaves - 2nd International Conference Focused on Cell Adhesion - ADHERE 2

During tissue formation, dynamic cell shape changes drive morphogenesis while asymmetric divisions create cellular diversity. We found that the shifts in cell morphology that shape tissues could conco...

Tumorigenesis ensues within a heterogeneous tissue microenvironment that promotes malignant transformation, metastasis and treatment resistance. A major feature of the tumor microenvironment is the heterogeneous population of cancer-associated fibroblasts and myeloid cells that stiffen the extracellular matrix. The heterogeneously stiffened extracellular matrix in turn activates cellular mechanotransduction and creates a hypoxic and metabolically hostile microenvironment. The stiffened extracellular matrix and elevated mechanosignaling also drive tumor aggression by fostering tumor cell growth, survival, and invasion, compromising antitumor immunity, expanding cancer stem cell frequency, and increasing mutational burden, which promote intratumor heterogeneity. Delineating the molecular mechanisms whereby tissue mechanics regulate these phenotypes should help to clarify the basis for tumor heterogeneity and cancer aggression and identify novel therapeutic targets that could improve patient outcome. Here, we discuss the role of the extracellular matrix in driving cancer aggression through its impact on tumor heterogeneity.

The 2025 Gordon Research Conference on Collagen will be held in New London, New Hampshire. Apply today to reserve your spot.

Apply for the Research Associate - Mechanisms Associated with Extracellular Matrix Assembly and Stability role on jobs.ac.uk, the top job board for academic positions in higher education. View details...

The 2025 Gordon Research Conference on Fibronectin, Integrins and Related Molecules will be held in Lucca (Barga), Lucca Italy. Apply today to reserve your spot.