Search research articles

ABOUT JoVE

Overview Leadership Blog JoVE Help Center

AUTHORS

Publishing Process Editorial Board Scope & Policies Peer Review FAQ Submit

LIBRARIANS

Testimonials Subscriptions Access Resources Library Advisory Board FAQ

RESEARCH

JoVE Journal Methods Collections JoVE Encyclopedia of Experiments Archive

EDUCATION

JoVE Core JoVE Business JoVE Science Education JoVE Lab Manual Faculty Resource Center Faculty Site

Terms & Conditions of Use

Related Concept Videos

Mechanical Protein Functions

Mechanical Protein Functions

Proteins perform many mechanical functions in a cell. These proteins can be classified into two general categories- proteins that generate mechanical forces and proteins that are subjected to mechanical forces. Proteins providing mechanical support to the structure of the cell, such as keratin, are subjected to mechanical force, whereas proteins involved in cell movement and transport of molecules across cell membranes, such as an ion pump, are examples of generating mechanical force.

Testosterone: Functions and Regulation

Testosterone: Functions and Regulation

The intricate hormonal interplay essential for male reproductive health begins with the release of gonadotropin-releasing hormone (GnRH) by the hypothalamus. This hormone prompts the pituitary gland to secrete follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH) and luteinizing hormone (LH). LH targets the Leydig cells in the testes, stimulating them to produce and release testosterone. In concert with testosterone, FSH acts on the Sertoli cells within the seminiferous tubules to facilitate the release of...

Mechanical Protein Function

Mechanical Protein Function

Epigenetic Regulation

Epigenetic Regulation

Epigenetic mechanisms play an essential role in healthy development. Conversely, precisely regulated epigenetic mechanisms are disrupted in diseases like cancer.

Epithelial Tissues and Their Functions

Epithelial Tissues and Their Functions

Epithelial tissues are large sheets of cells covering all of the surfaces of the body. These surfaces can be internal or external, for example, skin, airways, the digestive tract, the urinary system, and the reproductive system. Hollow organs and body cavities that do not connect to the body's exterior, including blood vessels and serous membranes, are lined by epithelial tissue known as the endothelium.
Epithelial tissues provide the body's first line of protection from physical,...

Functions of Connective Tissues

Functions of Connective Tissues

Connective tissues perform a broad range of functions in the body. Their primary function is to connect and link different tissues in the body and act as packaging material between tissues. The areolar tissue, a connective tissue prototype, commonly cements various tissue types in diverse body organs. In contrast, adipose tissue cushions internal organs while insulating the body from heat loss.
Hard connective tissues, such as bones and cartilage, provide structure and support to the body.

You might also read

Related Articles

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

Sort by

Same author

The mechanical microenvironment and lung stem cell fate.

Frontiers in cell and developmental biology·2026

Same author

Patterns of mitochondrial ATP predict tissue folding.

Science advances·2026

Same author

TGFβ determines epithelial tissue spacing by regulating mesenchymal condensation.

bioRxiv : the preprint server for biology·2026

Same author

Fat promotes growth and invasion in a 3D microfluidic tumor model of triple-negative breast cancer.

APL bioengineering·2026

Same author

Mapping embryonic mouse lung development using enhanced spatial transcriptomics.

bioRxiv : the preprint server for biology·2025

Same author

Fuel, form, and memory: The motility-driven journey of cancer cells.

Current opinion in biomedical engineering·2025

Search research articles

Related Experiment Video

Updated: Feb 9, 2026

Author Spotlight: A Pharmacodissection Approach to Uncover Mechanisms in Cardiovascular Disease Risk Populations

Author Spotlight: A Pharmacodissection Approach to Uncover Mechanisms in Cardiovascular Disease Risk Populations

Published on: July 21, 2023

Tissue mechanics regulates form, function, and dysfunction.

Alişya A Anlaş¹, Celeste M Nelson²

¹Department of Chemical & Biological Engineering, Princeton University, Princeton, NJ 08544, United States.

Current Opinion in Cell Biology

|June 12, 2018

Summary

This summary is machine-generated.

This review explores how mechanical forces guide cell behaviors during tissue morphogenesis. It highlights epithelial cell contractility in tissue folding and how tissue shape influences cell activity, with applications in engineered tissues.

More Related Videos

Deciphering the Molecular Mechanism and Function of Pore-Forming Toxins Using Leishmania major

Deciphering the Molecular Mechanism and Function of Pore-Forming Toxins Using Leishmania major

Published on: October 28, 2022

Assessment of Human Adipose Tissue Microvascular Function Using Videomicroscopy

Assessment of Human Adipose Tissue Microvascular Function Using Videomicroscopy

Published on: September 29, 2017

Related Experiment Videos

Last Updated: Feb 9, 2026

Author Spotlight: A Pharmacodissection Approach to Uncover Mechanisms in Cardiovascular Disease Risk Populations

Author Spotlight: A Pharmacodissection Approach to Uncover Mechanisms in Cardiovascular Disease Risk Populations

Published on: July 21, 2023

Deciphering the Molecular Mechanism and Function of Pore-Forming Toxins Using Leishmania major

Deciphering the Molecular Mechanism and Function of Pore-Forming Toxins Using Leishmania major

Published on: October 28, 2022

Assessment of Human Adipose Tissue Microvascular Function Using Videomicroscopy

Assessment of Human Adipose Tissue Microvascular Function Using Videomicroscopy

Published on: September 29, 2017

Area of Science:

Developmental Biology
Cell Biology
Biophysics

Background:

Morphogenesis involves cell reorganization into tissues and organs.
Cellular responses to mechanical forces dictate tissue architecture.
Understanding physical mechanisms is key to developmental processes.

Purpose of the Study:

Review physical mechanisms of tissue morphogenesis.
Discuss epithelial cell contractility in tissue folding.
Explore the regulation of cell behavior by tissue form.

Main Methods:

Literature review of vertebrate and invertebrate models.
Analysis of cellular contractility and mechanical force perception.
Examination of feedback loops between tissue form and cell behavior.

Main Results:

Mechanical forces are crucial for spatiotemporal patterning of cell behaviors.
Epithelial cell contractility drives global tissue shape changes like folding.
Tissue morphology actively regulates subsequent cell behaviors.

Conclusions:

Physical forces and cell behaviors are intricately linked in morphogenesis.
Novel tools enable recapitulation of morphogenesis in engineered tissues.
This work provides insights into developmental processes and tissue engineering.