Laboratory for Molecular Cell Biology, University College London, London, UK.
Institute for the Physics of Living Systems, University College London, London, UK.
Nat Rev Mol Cell Biol. 2024 Aug;25(8):654-670. doi: 10.1038/s41580-024-00719-x. Epub 2024 Apr 10.
From embryonic development, postnatal growth and adult homeostasis to reparative and disease states, cells and tissues undergo constant changes in genome activity, cell fate, proliferation, movement, metabolism and growth. Importantly, these biological state transitions are coupled to changes in the mechanical and material properties of cells and tissues, termed mechanical state transitions. These mechanical states share features with physical states of matter, liquids and solids. Tissues can switch between mechanical states by changing behavioural dynamics or connectivity between cells. Conversely, these changes in tissue mechanical properties are known to control cell and tissue function, most importantly the ability of cells to move or tissues to deform. Thus, tissue mechanical state transitions are implicated in transmitting information across biological length and time scales, especially during processes of early development, wound healing and diseases such as cancer. This Review will focus on the biological basis of tissue-scale mechanical state transitions, how they emerge from molecular and cellular interactions, and their roles in organismal development, homeostasis, regeneration and disease.
从胚胎发育、出生后生长和成人内稳态到修复和疾病状态，细胞和组织的基因组活性、细胞命运、增殖、运动、代谢和生长都在不断变化。重要的是，这些生物学状态的转变与细胞和组织的机械和物质特性的变化相关联，称为机械状态转变。这些机械状态与物质的物理状态、液体和固体具有共同的特征。组织可以通过改变细胞之间的行为动力学或连接性在机械状态之间切换。相反，组织力学特性的这些变化已知可以控制细胞和组织的功能，最重要的是细胞迁移或组织变形的能力。因此，组织力学状态的转变被认为是在生物长度和时间尺度上传递信息的一种方式，特别是在早期发育、伤口愈合和癌症等疾病的过程中。这篇综述将重点介绍组织尺度机械状态转变的生物学基础，它们如何从分子和细胞相互作用中产生，以及它们在机体发育、内稳态、再生和疾病中的作用。
