Issue 22, 2024

Cellular elasticity in cancer: a review of altered biomechanical features

Abstract

A large number of studies have shown that changes in biomechanical characteristics are an important indicator of tumor transformation in normal cells. Elastic deformation is one of the more studied biomechanical features of tumor cells, which plays an important role in tumourigenesis and development. Altered cell elasticity often brings many indications. This manuscript reviews the effects of altered cellular elasticity on cell characteristics, including adhesion viscosity, migration, proliferation, and differentiation elasticity and stiffness. Also, the physical factors that may affect cell elasticity, such as temperature, cell height, cell-viscosity, and aging, are summarized. Then, the effects of cell–matrix, cytoskeleton, in vitro culture medium, and cell–substrate with different three-dimensional structures on cell elasticity during cell tumorigenesis are outlined. Importantly, we summarize the current signaling pathways that may affect cellular elasticity, as well as tests for cellular elastic deformation. Finally, we summarize current hybrid materials: polymer–polymer, protein–protein, and protein–polymer hybrids, also, nano-delivery strategies that target cellular resilience and cases that are at least in clinical phase 1 trials. Overall, the behavior of cancer cell elasticity is modulated by biological, chemical, and physical changes, which in turn have the potential to alter cellular elasticity, and this may be an encouraging prediction for the future discovery of cancer therapies.

Graphical abstract: Cellular elasticity in cancer: a review of altered biomechanical features

Article information

Article type
Review Article
Submitted
17 Feb 2024
Accepted
25 Apr 2024
First published
30 Apr 2024

J. Mater. Chem. B, 2024,12, 5299-5324

Cellular elasticity in cancer: a review of altered biomechanical features

B. A. Radman, A. M. M. Alhameed, G. Shu, G. Yin and M. Wang, J. Mater. Chem. B, 2024, 12, 5299 DOI: 10.1039/D4TB00328D

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