ArticleMatrix biology : journal of the International Society for Matrix Biology2023
Fiber alignment in 3D collagen networks as a biophysical marker for cell contractility.
Article in Matrix biology : journal of the International Society for Matrix Biology, 2023. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 16 papers.
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Who cites it
16 citing papers in PubMed.
- Supermeres Containing the Discoidin Domain Receptor 1 Extracellular Domain Promote Collagen Alignment and Immune Exclusion in Microsatellite-Stable Colorectal Cancer.Cancer research communications · 2026Article
- Cell-Extracellular Matrix Feedback Results in Spontaneous Cell Polarization and Heterogeneous Remodeling in 3D Isotropic and Aligned Discrete-Fiber Models of Cell-Mediated Remodeling.Cellular and molecular bioengineering · 2026Article
- 3D-Printing-Assisted, Microfabricated Devices Reveal Hierarchical and Temporal Mechanosensing in High-Density Fibroblast Culture.ACS nano · 2026Article
- Sp1 mechanotransduction regulates breast cancer cell invasion in engineered viscoelastic extracellular matrices.Biomaterials · 2026Article
- Guidance for 3D traction force microscopy today and in the next decade.Nature methods · 2026Review
- Linking molecular tension and cellular tractions: a multiscale approach to focal adhesion mechanics.Communications biology · 2026Article
- From a stem-cell-centered to a niche-centered view: the core role of collagen networks in hair loss and hair follicle miniaturization.Frontiers in cell and developmental biology · 2026Review
- Dimensional memory in glioblastoma mechanics: Traction force analysis of cells cultured in 2D versus 3D collagen environments.Bioactive materials · 2026Article
- Mechanical Signaling: Molecular Mechanisms, Biological Functions, Diseases, and Therapeutic Targets.MedComm · 2025Review
- Engineering Extracellular Microenvironments: The Impact of Fibrous Materials on Cell Behavior.Advanced healthcare materials · 2025Review
- Revisiting the biophysical aspects of extracellular-matrix-mimicking hydrogels: what cells seeBiomaterials science · 2025Review
- Three-dimensional traction technology and its application in mechanomedicine.Mechanobiology in medicine · 2025Review
- Aligned Collagen Fibers Drive Distinct Traction Force Signatures to Regulate Contact Guidance.ACS nano · 2025Article
- EMT-related cell-matrix interactions are linked to states of cell unjamming in cancer spheroid invasion.iScience · 2024Article
- Article
- Molecular Force Sensors for Biological Application.International journal of molecular sciences · 2024Review
Corrections and comments
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Authors and funding
17 authors.
Funding
Abstract
Cells cultured in 3D fibrous biopolymer matrices exert traction forces on their environment that induce deformations and remodeling of the fiber network. By measuring these deformations, the traction forces can be reconstructed if the mechanical properties of the matrix and the force-free matrix configuration are known. These requirements limit the applicability of traction force reconstruction in practice. In this study, we test whether force-induced matrix remodeling can instead be used as a proxy for cellular traction forces. We measure the traction forces of hepatic stellate cells and different glioblastoma cell lines and quantify matrix remodeling by measuring the fiber orientation and fiber density around these cells. In agreement with simulated fiber networks, we demonstrate that changes in local fiber orientation and density are directly related to cell forces. By resolving Rho-kinase (ROCK) inhibitor-induced changes of traction forces, fiber alignment, and fiber density in hepatic stellate cells, we show that the method is suitable for drug screening assays. We conclude that differences in local fiber orientation and density, which are easily measurable, can be used as a qualitative proxy for changes in traction forces. The method is available as an open-source Python package with a graphical user interface.
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Registered trials
Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.