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

Cell-matrix's Response to Mechanical Forces01:13

Cell-matrix's Response to Mechanical Forces

3.4K
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...
3.4K
Overview of Cell-Matrix Interactions01:24

Overview of Cell-Matrix Interactions

8.8K
The extracellular matrix or ECM holds cells together to form a tissue and allows the cells within the tissue to communicate. ECM comprises proteins such as fibronectin, collagen, laminin, etc. The most abundant protein in this space is collagen. Collagen fibers are interwoven with carbohydrate-containing protein molecules called proteoglycans. ECM allows cell migration and provides a structural scaffold at cell adhesion that anchors the cell when the extracellular matrix proteins interact with...
8.8K
Cell Motility through Blebbing01:16

Cell Motility through Blebbing

2.4K
Blebs are a type of membrane protrusion formed by the internal hydrostatic pressure of the cytoplasm. Blebs are observed in several cell types, including fibroblasts, immune cells, and single-celled organisms like the amoeba. The primary function of blebs is cell locomotion and apoptosis, but they are also found during necrosis and cell division. The life cycle of a bleb comprises an initiation phase followed by the expansion and retraction phases.
Blebbing Through the Matrix
In multicellular...
2.4K
Cytoskeletal Coordination in Cell Migration01:32

Cytoskeletal Coordination in Cell Migration

5.4K
A migrating cell changes its shape during the cyclic events of attachment and detachment from the substratum and repositions the cell organelles correspondingly. These complex events are orchestrated by the dynamic cytoskeletal network comprising actin filaments, intermediate filaments, and microtubules. Cytoskeletal crosstalk — the direct and indirect communication between the different components — is crucial for this coordination. Direct communication involves various linker...
5.4K
The Extracellular Matrix01:29

The Extracellular Matrix

11.8K
Overview
In order to maintain tissue organization, many animal cells are surrounded by structural molecules that make up the extracellular matrix (ECM). Together, the molecules in the ECM maintain the structural integrity of tissue as well as the remarkable specific properties of certain tissues.
Composition of the Extracellular Matrix
The extracellular matrix (ECM) is commonly composed of ground substance, a gel-like fluid, fibrous components, and many structurally and functionally diverse...
11.8K
The Extracellular Matrix01:42

The Extracellular Matrix

88.1K
Overview
88.1K

You might also read

Related Articles

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

Sort by
Same author

Epigenetic Clocks in the Cosmic Silence of a Deep Underground Laboratory: Implications for Aging and Space Exploration.

Aging and disease·2026
Same author

Cellular Senescence in the Absence of Galactic Cosmic-Ray Muons.

Aging and disease·2026
Same author

Exploring the relationship between vascular remodelling and tumour growth using agent-based modelling.

PLoS computational biology·2026
Same author

Therapeutic manipulation and spatial quantification of the tumor microenvironment in colorectal cancer.

iScience·2026
Same author

Characterising Epigenetic Tipping Points using a Spectral Dimension Reduction Approach.

Bulletin of mathematical biology·2026
Same author

Topological model selection: a case-study in tumour-induced angiogenesis.

Bioinformatics (Oxford, England)·2026

Related Experiment Video

Updated: Jan 10, 2026

A Simplified System for Evaluating Cell Mechanosensing and Durotaxis In Vitro
09:50

A Simplified System for Evaluating Cell Mechanosensing and Durotaxis In Vitro

Published on: August 27, 2015

8.6K

Multiscale modelling shows how cell-ECM interactions impact ECM fibre alignment and cell detachment.

Juan Arellano-Tintó1,2, Daria Stepanova1, Helen M Byrne3,4

  • 1Centre de Recerca Matemàtica, Bellaterra (Barcelona), Spain.

Plos Computational Biology
|November 26, 2025
PubMed
Summary

Cells communicate mechanically through the extracellular matrix (ECM). A new model reveals how cell contraction and ECM properties, like stiffness and network structure, influence this communication and cell behavior.

More Related Videos

2.5D Model for Ex Vivo Mechanical Characterization of Sprouting Angiogenesis in Living Tissue
10:00

2.5D Model for Ex Vivo Mechanical Characterization of Sprouting Angiogenesis in Living Tissue

Published on: February 28, 2025

787
Concentric Gel System to Study the Biophysical Role of Matrix Microenvironment on 3D Cell Migration
11:43

Concentric Gel System to Study the Biophysical Role of Matrix Microenvironment on 3D Cell Migration

Published on: April 3, 2015

8.9K

Related Experiment Videos

Last Updated: Jan 10, 2026

A Simplified System for Evaluating Cell Mechanosensing and Durotaxis In Vitro
09:50

A Simplified System for Evaluating Cell Mechanosensing and Durotaxis In Vitro

Published on: August 27, 2015

8.6K
2.5D Model for Ex Vivo Mechanical Characterization of Sprouting Angiogenesis in Living Tissue
10:00

2.5D Model for Ex Vivo Mechanical Characterization of Sprouting Angiogenesis in Living Tissue

Published on: February 28, 2025

787
Concentric Gel System to Study the Biophysical Role of Matrix Microenvironment on 3D Cell Migration
11:43

Concentric Gel System to Study the Biophysical Role of Matrix Microenvironment on 3D Cell Migration

Published on: April 3, 2015

8.9K

Area of Science:

  • Biophysics
  • Cell Biology
  • Computational Biology

Background:

  • The extracellular matrix (ECM) is crucial for cell behavior, growth, and migration.
  • Cell-ECM interactions, particularly through focal adhesions, allow cells to sense matrix mechanics and exert forces.
  • The mechanical interplay between cells and the ECM is complex and influenced by multiple factors across different scales.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To develop a multiscale model integrating cell-ECM mechanical interactions.
  • To quantify cell-cell communication mediated by ECM deformation.
  • To investigate the influence of mechanical properties and network topology on cell-ECM interactions.

Main Methods:

  • Developed a multiscale agent-based model.
  • Integrated mechanosensitive focal adhesion regulation, cytoskeleton dynamics, and ECM deformation.
  • Simulated mechanical force transmission and cell-ECM interplay.

Main Results:

  • Cell-cell communication via ECM deformation depends on cell and ECM mechanical properties and network topology.
  • Increased cell contraction leads to greater ECM deformation.
  • A specific ECM stiffness optimizes mechanical cue transmission, while network topology impacts deformation transmission and can cause cell detachment.

Conclusions:

  • Multiscale modeling is essential for understanding mechanical communication in cell-ECM interactions.
  • ECM stiffness, cell contraction, and network topology are key regulators of mechanical signaling.
  • The study provides insights into how physical forces shape cell behavior within the ECM.