Jove
Visualize
Contact Us
JoVE
x logofacebook logolinkedin logoyoutube logo
ABOUT JoVE
OverviewLeadershipBlogJoVE Help Center
AUTHORS
Publishing ProcessEditorial BoardScope & PoliciesPeer ReviewFAQSubmit
LIBRARIANS
TestimonialsSubscriptionsAccessResourcesLibrary Advisory BoardFAQ
RESEARCH
JoVE JournalMethods CollectionsJoVE Encyclopedia of ExperimentsArchive
EDUCATION
JoVE CoreJoVE BusinessJoVE Science EducationJoVE Lab ManualFaculty Resource CenterFaculty Site
Terms & Conditions of Use
Privacy Policy
Policies

Related Concept Videos

Cell Migration01:09

Cell Migration

19.2K
Cell migration, the process by which cells move from one location to another, is essential for the proper development and viability of organisms throughout their life. When cells are not able to migrate properly to their ordained locations, various disorders may occur. For example, disruption in cell migration causes chronic inflammatory diseases such as arthritis.
19.2K
Cell Migration01:19

Cell Migration

7.5K
Cell migration is a process by which the cells move from one location to another, playing an essential role in embryological development, repair and regeneration, immune response, and metastasis. Cells migrate in response to chemical or mechanical signals generated by specific organs or tissues. The overall mechanism includes three steps - polarization, protrusion, and release. Polarization involves the formation of a distinct cell front and rear, which determines the direction of movement.
7.5K
Mechanism of Lamellipodia Formation01:31

Mechanism of Lamellipodia Formation

4.1K
Cells migrating in response to external stimuli form lamellipodia, which are thin membrane protrusions supported by a mesh of linked, branched, or unbranched actin filaments. These actin filaments interact with myosin motor proteins, creating the dynamic actomyosin complex within the cytoskeleton. Contractility, or the ability to generate contractile stress, is inherent to the actomyosin complex. It helps cells detect the stiffness of the surrounding ECM and exert contractile force for...
4.1K
Cytoskeletal Coordination in Cell Migration01:32

Cytoskeletal Coordination in Cell Migration

5.8K
A migrating cell changes its shape during the cyclic events of attachment and detachment from the substratum and repositions the cell organelles correspondingly. These complex events are orchestrated by the dynamic cytoskeletal network comprising actin filaments, intermediate filaments, and microtubules. Cytoskeletal crosstalk — the direct and indirect communication between the different components — is crucial for this coordination. Direct communication involves various linker...
5.8K
Cell-matrix's Response to Mechanical Forces01:13

Cell-matrix's Response to Mechanical Forces

3.8K
In animal cells, the extracellular matrix allows cells within tissues to withstand external stresses and transmits signals from the outside of the cell to the inside. The extracellular matrix is extensive, and its composition varies between different types of tissues. For example, the reticular fibers and ground substance make up the ECM in loose connective tissue, while collagen and bone minerals make up the ECM of bone tissue. 
Anchoring junctions mechanically attach a cell to the...
3.8K
Tension Response at Adherens Junctions01:26

Tension Response at Adherens Junctions

4.3K
The adherens junctions that anchor cells together are multi-protein complexes that dynamically adapt to mechanical stimuli such as tensile forces and shear stress. Mechanosensory proteins in these junctions can sense such mechanical stimuli and undergo a shift in their conformation, resulting in an altered function — a process called mechanotransduction.
α-Catenin as a Mechanosensory Protein
The α-catenin of adherens junctions is an allosteric protein with three VH (vinculin...
4.3K

You might also read

Related Articles

Articles linked to this work by shared authors, journal, and citation graph.

Sort by
Same author

Toll-like receptors in epithelial mechanics and surveillance.

Cells & development·2026
Same author

Active and probe-free intracellular rheology via phase-sensitive thermoviscous flows.

PNAS nexus·2026
Same author

Adhesion-controlled mechanics of the glial niche regulate neural stem cell proliferative potential.

Developmental cell·2026
Same author

Keratins coordinate tissue spreading by balancing spreading forces with tissue material properties.

Nature communications·2026
Same author

Spatial inhibition of RhoA by RhoGAP15B promotes protrusive activity during collective migration.

The Journal of cell biology·2026
Same author

Tissue mechanics and systemic signaling safeguard epithelial tissue against spindle misorientation.

Developmental cell·2026

Related Experiment Video

Updated: Apr 13, 2026

Probing the Roles of Physical Forces in Early Chick Embryonic Morphogenesis
06:33

Probing the Roles of Physical Forces in Early Chick Embryonic Morphogenesis

Published on: June 5, 2018

7.8K

Forces in tissue morphogenesis and patterning.

Carl-Philipp Heisenberg1, Yohanns Bellaïche

  • 1Institute of Science and Technology Austria, 3400 Klosterneuburg, Austria. heisenberg@ist.ac.at

Cell
|May 28, 2013
PubMed
Summary
This summary is machine-generated.

Mechanical forces are crucial for development, driving cell changes and tissue shaping. The interplay of cellular forces and mechanosensing orchestrates tissue morphogenesis and patterning.

More Related Videos

Probing Cell Mechanics with Bead-Free Optical Tweezers in the Drosophila Embryo
08:23

Probing Cell Mechanics with Bead-Free Optical Tweezers in the Drosophila Embryo

Published on: November 2, 2018

8.1K
Direct Force Measurements of Subcellular Mechanics in Confinement using Optical Tweezers
09:56

Direct Force Measurements of Subcellular Mechanics in Confinement using Optical Tweezers

Published on: August 31, 2021

5.9K

Related Experiment Videos

Last Updated: Apr 13, 2026

Probing the Roles of Physical Forces in Early Chick Embryonic Morphogenesis
06:33

Probing the Roles of Physical Forces in Early Chick Embryonic Morphogenesis

Published on: June 5, 2018

7.8K
Probing Cell Mechanics with Bead-Free Optical Tweezers in the Drosophila Embryo
08:23

Probing Cell Mechanics with Bead-Free Optical Tweezers in the Drosophila Embryo

Published on: November 2, 2018

8.1K
Direct Force Measurements of Subcellular Mechanics in Confinement using Optical Tweezers
09:56

Direct Force Measurements of Subcellular Mechanics in Confinement using Optical Tweezers

Published on: August 31, 2021

5.9K

Area of Science:

  • Developmental Biology
  • Cellular Mechanics
  • Tissue Engineering

Background:

  • Mechanical forces significantly influence cellular processes like size, shape, and gene expression during development.
  • Actin-myosin networks and cell adhesion complexes are key self-organizing systems that generate and transmit forces within tissues.
  • Understanding these forces is vital for comprehending how tissues develop and are patterned.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To elucidate the integral role of mechanical forces in orchestrating tissue morphogenesis and patterning during development.
  • To highlight the self-organizing phenomena of force generation and transmission in driving tissue shape changes.
  • To explore how extrinsic mechanical forces and cellular mechanosensing contribute to developmental processes.

Main Methods:

  • Analysis of force generation by cellular actin-myosin networks.
  • Investigation of force transmission through cell-cell and cell-extracellular matrix adhesion complexes.
  • Examination of long-range force transmission and cellular mechanosensing within developing tissues.
  • Assessment of extrinsic mechanical forces on cell fate specification and differentiation.

Main Results:

  • Mechanical forces directly alter cell size, shape, number, position, and gene expression.
  • Self-organizing actin-myosin networks and adhesive complexes drive tissue morphogenesis.
  • Coordinated force transmission and mechanosensing lead to large-scale tissue shape changes.
  • Extrinsic mechanical forces modulate cell fate and differentiation, influencing tissue patterning.

Conclusions:

  • Mechanical forces are fundamental regulators of developmental processes, influencing cellular behavior and tissue architecture.
  • The integration of intrinsic cellular forces and extrinsic mechanical cues, alongside biochemical signaling, is essential for proper tissue morphogenesis and patterning.
  • Further research into mechanobiology holds promise for understanding developmental disorders and advancing regenerative medicine.