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Related Concept Videos

Units of Measurement01:27

Units of Measurement

1.9K
Mechanical engineering is one of the oldest branches of engineering. It deals with designing, analyzing, and manufacturing machines and mechanical systems. To ensure precise and accurate calculations, units of measurement are used. They provide a standard system for expressing and comparing physical quantities.
There are various well-known historical measurement systems, such as the Babylonian system, the Roman system, the Egyptian system, the Olympian system, the British system, and the Indus...
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Machines01:19

Machines

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Machines are complex structures consisting of movable, pin-connected multi-force members that work together to transmit forces. One example of a machine is the cutting plier, which is used to cut wires by applying forces to its handles. When equal and opposite forces are exerted on the handles of the cutting plier, they cause the cutting edges to come together and apply equal and opposite reaction forces on the wire, which are greater than the applied forces.
A free-body diagram of the...
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An Introduction to Mechanics01:28

An Introduction to Mechanics

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Humans have been making ships, shelters, pyramids, weapons, agricultural equipment, and many more items without recording the process or theory behind them for centuries. It would be challenging to document the evolution of mechanics from its origin to the present.
According to records, the history of mechanics starts with Aristotle (384–322 BC). He related mechanics to physical theory, aiming for a universal synthesis.
Newton defined mechanics as the branch of physical science that...
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Mechanical Systems01:22

Mechanical Systems

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Mechanical systems are analogous to to electrical networks where springs and masses play similar roles to inductors and capacitors, respectively. A viscous damper in mechanical systems functions similarly to a resistor in electrical networks, dissipating energy. The forces acting on a mass in such systems include an applied force in the direction of motion, counteracted by forces from the spring, a viscous damper, and the mass's acceleration. This interplay of forces is mathematically...
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Measurements of Strain01:27

Measurements of Strain

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Strain quantifies the deformation of a material under force, typically measured as normal strain, which represents the change in length when compared with the original length. Electrical strain gauges are used for enhanced accuracy. These devices consist of a conductive wire mounted on a paper backing that adheres to the material's surface. These gauges operate on the piezoresistive effect, where the wire's electrical resistance changes in response to mechanical deformation. The strain...
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Mechanical Protein Functions01:58

Mechanical Protein Functions

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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. 
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Related Experiment Video

Updated: May 23, 2025

Mechanical Manipulation of Neurons to Control Axonal Development
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Measuring and manipulating mechanical forces during development.

Clémentine Villeneuve1, Kaitlin P McCreery1, Sara A Wickström2,3,4

  • 1Department of Cell and Tissue Dynamics, Max Planck Institute for Molecular Biomedicine, Münster, Germany.

Nature Cell Biology
|March 11, 2025
PubMed
Summary

Cellular mechanical forces drive tissue development and organ formation. New tools allow precise measurement and manipulation of these forces, advancing our understanding of developmental biology and tissue morphodynamics.

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Area of Science:

  • Developmental Biology
  • Biophysics
  • Cell Mechanics

Background:

  • Tissue deformations are fundamental to development, including embryogenesis and organogenesis.
  • Cellular contractile forces and changing mechanical properties drive these deformations.
  • Mechanical forces are crucial for forming organ architecture and coordinating cell behavior.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To review contemporary methods for measuring and manipulating mechanical forces in developmental processes.
  • To highlight biological discoveries enabled by these advanced techniques.
  • To provide an outlook on interdisciplinary methodologies for understanding tissue morphodynamics.

Main Methods:

  • Utilizing advanced microscopy, genetics, and chemistry.
  • Quantifying molecular interactions and mapping tissue mechanical properties.
  • Perturbing mechanical forces to study their effects on development.

Main Results:

  • Discussion of various approaches to measure and manipulate mechanical forces.
  • Examples of biological discoveries resulting from the application of these methods.
  • Focus on methods ranging from molecular interactions to tissue-level mechanics.

Conclusions:

  • Mechanical forces are key regulators of developmental processes.
  • Technological advances provide powerful tools to study these forces.
  • An integrated approach combining physics, chemistry, and biology is needed for a comprehensive understanding of tissue morphodynamics.