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Updated: Jun 13, 2026
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Revealing Electromechanical Control of Tissue Homeostasis Using a Two-Layer Microfluidic Device
Published on: September 19, 2025
Mechanical control of tissue and organ development
Tadanori Mammoto1, Donald E Ingber
1Vascular Biology Program, Children's Hospital and Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02115, USA.
Development (Cambridge, England)
|April 15, 2010
Summary
Mechanical forces from cells are vital for tissue development, alongside genes and chemical signals. This review highlights their crucial role in shaping tissues during embryology and regeneration.
Area of Science:
- Integrative biology, biophysics, and developmental mechanics.
Background:
- Extensive research has identified genes and molecules controlling tissue patterning in organogenesis and regeneration.
- A gap exists in understanding how chemical signals translate into the specific shapes and material properties of living tissues.
Purpose of the Study:
- To review the role of mechanical forces in controlling tissue development.
- To highlight the convergence of physics, engineering, and biology in understanding morphogenesis.
Main Methods:
- Literature review synthesizing findings from physics, engineering, and biology.
- Analysis of how cellular mechanical forces influence developmental processes.
Main Results:
- Mechanical forces generated by cells are as critical as genetic and chemical cues in development.
- These forces play a key role in embryological development, morphogenesis, and tissue patterning.
Conclusions:
- A comprehensive understanding of tissue formation requires integrating mechanical principles with genetic and chemical signaling.
- Cellular mechanics is a fundamental determinant of tissue architecture and function.
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