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Updated: Jul 29, 2026

A Novel Stretching Platform for Applications in Cell and Tissue Mechanobiology
Published on: June 3, 2014
Non-Bilaterians as Model Systems for Tissue Mechanics
Setareh Gooshvar1, Gopika Madhu1, Melissa Ruszczyk1
1Department of Physics, College of Arts and Sciences, University of Miami, 33146 FL, USA.
None:
In animals, epithelial tissues are barriers against the external environment, providing protection against biological, chemical, and physical damage. Depending on the organism's physiology and behavior, these tissues encounter different types of mechanical forces and need to provide a suitable adaptive response to ensure success. Therefore, understanding tissue mechanics in different contexts is an important research area. Here, we review recent tissue mechanics discoveries in three early divergent non-bilaterian systems-Trichoplax adhaerens, Hydra vulgaris, and Aurelia aurita. We highlight each animal's simple body plan and biology and unique, rapid tissue remodeling phenomena that play a crucial role in its physiology. We also discuss the emergent large-scale mechanics in these systems that arise from small-scale phenomena. Finally, we emphasize the potential of these non-bilaterian animals to be model systems in a bottom-up approach for further investigation in tissue mechanics.
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