Cell compression - relevance, mechanotransduction mechanisms and tools

From border cell migration during Drosophila embryogenesis to solid stresses inside tumors, cells are often compressed during physiological and pathological processes, triggering major cell responses. Cell compression can be observed in vivo but also controlled in vitro through tools such as micro-channels or planar confinement assays. Such tools have recently become commercially available, allowing a broad research community to tackle the role of cell compression in a variety of contexts. This has led to the discovery of conserved compression-triggered migration modes, cell fate determinants and mechanosensitive pathways, among others. In this Review, we will first address the different ways in which cells can be compressed and their biological contexts. Then, we will discuss the distinct mechanosensing and mechanotransducing pathways that cells activate in response to compression. Finally, we will describe the different in vitro systems that have been engineered to compress cells.