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

The Tumor Microenvironment02:17

The Tumor Microenvironment

7.5K
Every normal cell or tissue is embedded in a complex local environment called stroma, consisting of different cell types, a basal membrane, and blood vessels. As normal cells mutate and develop into cancer cells, their local environment also changes to allow cancer progression. The tumor microenvironment (TME) consists of a complex cellular matrix of stromal cells and the developing tumor. The cross-talk between cancer cells and surrounding stromal cells is critical to disrupt normal tissue...
7.5K
Cell-matrix's Response to Mechanical Forces01:13

Cell-matrix's Response to Mechanical Forces

3.3K
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...
3.3K
T Cell Activation and Clonal Selection01:22

T Cell Activation and Clonal Selection

14.4K
T cells are integral to our adaptive immune system, recognizing and effectively responding to foreign antigens. T cell activation and clonal selection are pivotal in orchestrating this immune response. This article elucidates these mechanisms, detailing the roles of cluster of differentiation (CD) markers, major histocompatibility complex (MHC) molecules, costimulatory signals, and the process of clonal selection.
Naive T cells that have not yet encountered an antigen express two primary CD...
14.4K

You might also read

Related Articles

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

Sort by
Same author

Electrospun aligned nanofibers for tissue engineering.

Biomaterials science·2026
Same author

Genetic and transcriptomic determinants of disseminated coccidioidomycosis identify a founder variant in <i>NLRX1</i> and ancestry-specific rare variants in immune response genes.

medRxiv : the preprint server for health sciences·2026
Same author

High-Bandwidth AFM Probes for Imaging in Air and Fluid.

Journal of microelectromechanical systems : a joint IEEE and ASME publication on microstructures, microactuators, microsensors, and microsystems·2026
Same author

Quantitative Assessment of Brain Glucose Metabolism Using Dynamic Glucose-Enhanced Magnetic Resonance Fingerprinting (DGE-MRF).

Chemical & biomedical imaging·2026
Same author

Engineering nanoplatforms for autoimmune treatment: From synthetic strategies to bioinspired designs.

Journal of controlled release : official journal of the Controlled Release Society·2026
Same author

Exhausted T cell phenotypes in disseminated coccidioidomycosis.

JCI insight·2026

Related Experiment Video

Updated: Dec 21, 2025

Generation of Multicue Cellular Microenvironments by UV-Photopatterning of Three-Dimensional Cell Culture Substrates
09:30

Generation of Multicue Cellular Microenvironments by UV-Photopatterning of Three-Dimensional Cell Culture Substrates

Published on: June 2, 2022

2.8K

T-cell activation is modulated by the 3D mechanical microenvironment.

Fatemeh S Majedi1, Mohammad Mahdi Hasani-Sadrabadi1, Timothy J Thauland2

  • 1Department of Bioengineering, University of California Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA 90095, USA.

Biomaterials
|May 16, 2020
PubMed
Summary

T cells sense and respond to the mechanical stiffness of their 3D environment. Stiffer scaffolds enhance T-cell activation, proliferation, and migration, revealing mechanical cues

Keywords:
3DImmune synapseMechanical forceScaffoldStiffnessT cell

More Related Videos

Author Spotlight: Advancing Thymic Epithelial Cells and T-Cell Research with Human Thymic Organoids
03:31

Author Spotlight: Advancing Thymic Epithelial Cells and T-Cell Research with Human Thymic Organoids

Published on: October 4, 2024

2.2K
Monitoring Cancer Cell Invasion and T-Cell Cytotoxicity in 3D Culture
07:44

Monitoring Cancer Cell Invasion and T-Cell Cytotoxicity in 3D Culture

Published on: June 23, 2020

12.3K

Related Experiment Videos

Last Updated: Dec 21, 2025

Generation of Multicue Cellular Microenvironments by UV-Photopatterning of Three-Dimensional Cell Culture Substrates
09:30

Generation of Multicue Cellular Microenvironments by UV-Photopatterning of Three-Dimensional Cell Culture Substrates

Published on: June 2, 2022

2.8K
Author Spotlight: Advancing Thymic Epithelial Cells and T-Cell Research with Human Thymic Organoids
03:31

Author Spotlight: Advancing Thymic Epithelial Cells and T-Cell Research with Human Thymic Organoids

Published on: October 4, 2024

2.2K
Monitoring Cancer Cell Invasion and T-Cell Cytotoxicity in 3D Culture
07:44

Monitoring Cancer Cell Invasion and T-Cell Cytotoxicity in 3D Culture

Published on: June 23, 2020

12.3K

Area of Science:

  • Immunology
  • Biomaterials Science
  • Cellular Mechanobiology

Background:

  • T cells (T lymphocytes) are crucial immune cells that interact with their microenvironment.
  • Cellular mechanosensing involves detecting physical forces, including those from the T-cell receptor (TCR) and integrin LFA-1.
  • The influence of the 3D microenvironment's mechanical properties on T-cell behavior is not fully understood.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate if T cells can sense and respond to the mechanical rigidity of their 3D microenvironment.
  • To develop and utilize 3D scaffold matrices with tunable stiffness for studying T-cell activation and function.
  • To determine the impact of varying matrix stiffness on T-cell activation, proliferation, and migration.

Main Methods:

  • Fabrication of 3D scaffold matrices with controlled mechanical stiffness (4-40 kPa) and consistent microporosity.
  • Co-culture of T cells and antigen-presenting cells within the engineered 3D scaffolds.
  • Assessment of T-cell activation, proliferation, and migration using flow cytometry and live-cell imaging.

Main Results:

  • T-cell activation, proliferation, and migration speed were significantly augmented in stiffer 3D matrices compared to softer ones.
  • T cells demonstrated the ability to sense and react to the mechanical properties of their surrounding 3D environment.
  • The study identified a correlation between microenvironmental stiffness and T-cell effector functions.

Conclusions:

  • T cells possess mechanosensing capabilities that extend to the rigidity of their 3D microenvironment.
  • Mechanical cues from the 3D environment play a critical role in modulating T-cell activation and effector responses.
  • Tunable 3D scaffolds represent a valuable biomaterial advancement for studying cell-environment interactions and for potential therapeutic applications.