Evidence map›Paper›PMID 41038810›Full record

ArticleNature communications2025

Dynamic rigidity changes enable rapid cell migration on soft substrates.

Jiapeng Yang, Yu Zhang, Shuo Wang, Peng Wang, Liang Dong, Luofei Li, Yuanqi Cheng, Xiaoyu Huang, Bin Xue, Wei Wang and 4 more

Abstract read
In one paragraph

Article in Nature communications, 2025. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 13 papers.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
13citing papers in PubMed
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

13 citing papers in PubMed.

  1. Article
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  3. Review
  4. Article
  5. Article
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  9. Gut-engineeredFrontiers in bioengineering and biotechnology · 2026
    Article
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  13. Review
4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

14 authors.

Jiapeng Yang *Jinan Microecological Biomedicine Shandong Laboratory, Jinan, 250118, China.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0002-2884-2379
Yu Zhang *Jinan Microecological Biomedicine Shandong Laboratory, Jinan, 250118, China.
Shuo Wang *Division of Hepatobiliary and Transplantation Surgery, Department of General Surgery Nanjing Drum Tower Hospital, the Affiliated Hospital of Medical School, Nanjing University, Nanjing, 210008, China.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0003-4044-8611
Peng WangCollege of Polymer Science and Engineering, State Key Laboratory of Polymer Materials and Engineering, Sichuan University, Chengdu, 610065, China.
Liang DongNational Laboratory of Solid State Microstructures, Department of Physics, Nanjing University, Nanjing, 210093, China.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0002-8983-3572
Luofei LiNational Laboratory of Solid State Microstructures, Department of Physics, Nanjing University, Nanjing, 210093, China.
Yuanqi ChengNational Laboratory of Solid State Microstructures, Department of Physics, Nanjing University, Nanjing, 210093, China.
Xiaoyu HuangNational Laboratory of Solid State Microstructures, Department of Physics, Nanjing University, Nanjing, 210093, China.
Bin XueNational Laboratory of Solid State Microstructures, Department of Physics, Nanjing University, Nanjing, 210093, China.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0002-0822-6501
Wei WangNational Laboratory of Solid State Microstructures, Department of Physics, Nanjing University, Nanjing, 210093, China.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0001-5441-0302
Chunping JiangJinan Microecological Biomedicine Shandong Laboratory, Jinan, 250118, China. chunpingjiang@nju.edu.cn.ORCID http://orcid.org/0009-0003-2199-5553
Xiaosong GuJinan Microecological Biomedicine Shandong Laboratory, Jinan, 250118, China.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0002-2562-6275
Yi CaoJinan Microecological Biomedicine Shandong Laboratory, Jinan, 250118, China. caoyi@nju.edu.cn.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0003-1493-7868
Qiang WeiCollege of Polymer Science and Engineering, State Key Laboratory of Polymer Materials and Engineering, Sichuan University, Chengdu, 610065, China. wei@scu.edu.cn.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0001-5194-8262

Funding

National Natural Science Foundation of China (National Science Foundation of China) 11934008National Natural Science Foundation of China (National Science Foundation of China) T2222020National Natural Science Foundation of China (National Science Foundation of China) T2225016National Natural Science Foundation of China (National Science Foundation of China) T2322010Natural Science Foundation of Jiangsu Province (Jiangsu Provincial Natural Science Foundation) BK20220120Natural Science Foundation of Shandong Province (Shandong Provincial Natural Science Foundation) ZR2024QC217
6 · The paper itself

Abstract

Cell migration is crucial in various biological processes, regulated by surrounding rigidity. Studies under static conditions suggest migration favors rigid substrates, as softer substrates (<4 kPa) do not provide sufficient traction forces. Here we show that mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) can overcome this limitation when exposed to rapid cyclic changes in substrate rigidity. Under dynamic conditions, cell traction forces progressively rise, promoting a swift mechanical turnover of focal adhesions. This adaptation obviates the need for cell polarity and the mechanochemical turnover of focal adhesions typically required for traditional mesenchymal-type migration. The rapid migration speed together with the shape evolution during migration can be adequately predicted by our theoretical model that considers the force balance under dynamic conditions. Our findings underscore the innate capacity of cells to navigate through fluctuating mechanical cues, highlighting a versatile cellular response mechanism for understanding cell behaviors under dynamic physiological or pathological conditions.

Indexed as

Cell MovementMesenchymal Stem CellsAnimalsCell AdhesionCell PolarityCells, CulturedFocal AdhesionsHumansMice

Identifiers

PMID41038810
PMCPMC12491448

What OpenQuestion holds

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Registered trials

None linked

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.