Extracellular matrix articles within Nature Materials

Featured

• Article | 01 December 2022

  Matrix viscoelasticity controls spatiotemporal tissue organization

  Viscoelasticity is a universal mechanical feature of the extracellular matrix. Here the authors show that the extracellular matrix viscoelasticity guides tissue growth and symmetry breaking, a fundamental process in morphogenesis and oncogenesis.

  • Alberto Elosegui-Artola
  • , Anupam Gupta
  •  & David J. Mooney

• Article | 17 February 2020

  Reprogramming normal cells into tumour precursors requires ECM stiffness and oncogene-mediated changes of cell mechanical properties

  Receptor tyrosine kinase (RTK)–Ras oncogenes have now been shown to reprogram normal primary human and mouse cells into tumour precursors by empowering cellular mechanotransduction, in a process requiring permissive extracellular-matrix rigidity and intracellular YAP/TAZ/Rac mechanical signalling sustained by activated oncogenes.

  • Tito Panciera
  • , Anna Citron
  •  & Stefano Piccolo

• Article | 20 January 2020

  Protease-activated receptor signalling initiates α₅β₁-integrin-mediated adhesion in non-haematopoietic cells

  As in haematopoietic cells and platelets, agonist binding to protease-activated receptors PAR1 and PAR2 in non-haematopoietic cells also triggers signalling pathways that lead to α₅β₁-integrin-mediated cell adhesion.

  • Patrizia M. Spoerri
  • , Nico Strohmeyer
  •  & Daniel J. Müller

• News & Views | 20 November 2019

  Building nanobridges for cell adhesion

  Nanofibre mimetic substrates reveal the presence of integrin nanoclusters bridged by unliganded receptors during early cell–matrix adhesion.

  • E. Ada Cavalcanti-Adam

• News & Views | 22 July 2019

  Mastering their own fates through the matrix

  With their ability to give rise to many different cell types, stem cells have long been a target of scientists who seek to achieve control over their differentiation. New evidence suggests that stem cells influence their own fates through protein deposition and physical remodelling of their microenvironment.

  • Eric L. Qiao
  • , Sanjay Kumar
  •  & David V. Schaffer

• News & Views | 25 October 2017

  Modelling polycystic kidney disease

  Cysts were generated from organoids in vitro and the removal of adherent cues was shown to play a key role in polycystic kidney disease progression. These cysts resembled those of diseased tissue phenotypically and were capable of remodelling their microenvironment.

  • Paola Romagnani

• Letter | 02 October 2017

  Organoid cystogenesis reveals a critical role of microenvironment in human polycystic kidney disease

  Tissue mimics are of great interest in understanding diseases. Here, organoids were developed that resemble polycystic kidney disease cysts and it was demonstrated how material environment and adhesion can affect cystogenesis and disease progression.

  • Nelly M. Cruz
  • , Xuewen Song
  •  & Benjamin S. Freedman

• News & Views | 24 February 2016

  Conscripted by collagen

  In atherosclerotic plaques, patterns of calcification — which have profound implications for plaque stability and vulnerability to rupture — are determined by the collagen's content and patterning throughout the plaque.

  • Jordan D. Miller

• Research Highlights | 22 January 2016

  Guiding fibres

  • Pep Pàmies

• News & Views | 22 September 2014

  Stiffness does matter

  Extracellular-matrix stiffness regulates cell behaviour even when decoupled from ligand density and tethering.

  • Sanjay Kumar