Quantifying cellular forces: Practical considerations of traction force microscopy for dermal fibroblasts.

Traction force microscopy (TFM) is a well-established technique traditionally used by biophysicists to quantify the forces adherent biological cells exert on their microenvironment. As image processing software becomes increasingly user-friendly, TFM is being adopted by broader audiences to quantify contractility of (myo)fibroblasts. While many technical reviews of TFM's computational mechanics are available, this review focuses on practical experimental considerations for dermatology researchers new to cell mechanics and TFM who may wish to implement a higher throughput and less expensive alternative to collagen compaction assays.

Multi-scale undulations in human aortic endothelial cell fibers.

Blood vessels often have an undulatory morphology, with excessive bending, kinking, and coiling occuring in diseased vasculature. The underlying physical causes of these morphologies are generally attributed, in combination, to changes in blood pressure, blood flow rate, and cell proliferation or apoptosis. However, pathological vascular morphologies often start during developmental vasculogenesis.