Johns Hopkins Physical Sciences - Oncology Center, The Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD 21218, USA; Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, The Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD 21218, USA.
Johns Hopkins Physical Sciences - Oncology Center, The Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD 21218, USA; Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, The Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD 21218, USA; Department of Oncology, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD 21231, USA; Department of Pathology, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD 21231, USA.
Semin Cell Dev Biol. 2019 Sep;93:16-25. doi: 10.1016/j.semcdb.2018.10.008. Epub 2018 Oct 30.
Cells are dynamic structures that must respond to complex physical and chemical signals from their surrounding environment. The cytoskeleton is a key mediator of a cell's response to the signals of both the extracellular matrix and other cells present in the local microenvironment and allows it to tune its own mechanical properties in response to these cues. A growing body of evidence suggests that altered cellular viscoelasticity is a strong indicator of disease state; including cancer, laminopathy (genetic disorders of the nuclear lamina), infection, and aging. Here, we review recent work on the characterization of cell mechanics in disease and discuss the implications of altered viscoelasticity in regulation of immune responses. Finally, we provide an overview of techniques for measuring the mechanical properties of cells deeply embedded within tissues.
细胞是动态结构，必须对周围环境中的复杂物理和化学信号做出反应。细胞骨架是细胞对细胞外基质和局部微环境中存在的其他细胞信号做出反应的关键介质，它允许细胞根据这些线索调整自身的机械特性。越来越多的证据表明，细胞粘弹性的改变是疾病状态的一个强烈指标；包括癌症、核纤层病（核纤层遗传疾病）、感染和衰老。在这里，我们回顾了近年来在疾病中对细胞力学特性的表征的研究工作，并讨论了粘弹性改变在调节免疫反应中的意义。最后，我们概述了测量深度嵌入组织中的细胞机械特性的技术。
