Uncovering the link between cell biomechanics and wound healing

Researchers at the Indian Institute of Science (IISc) have discovered how the stiffness of a cell’s microenvironment affects its structure and function. The team cultured fibroblast cells on a polymer substrate with varying degrees of stiffness and found that changes in stiffness altered the cells’ structure and function. They also identified the signalling protein Transforming Growth Factor-β (TGF-β) as the “master regulator” responsible for these changes. The findings provide a better understanding of tissue healing and could have implications for conditions like fibrosis and cancer.