Cells exploit a phase transition to mechanically remodel the fibrous extracellular matrix

Kavli Affiliate: G. Ravichandran |Summary:Through mechanical forces, biological cells remodel the surrounding collagen network, generating striking deformation patterns. Tethers-tracts of high densification and fiber alignment-form between cells, thinner bands emanate from cell clusters. While tethers facilitate cell migration and communication, how they form is unclear. Combining modeling, simulation and experiment, we show that tether formation […]


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