Cell Nuclei Sense Mechanical Forces to Regulate Cell Function and Fate
WANG Yajun#, LIU Wei#, YU Saixi, LIU Yanjun*
Perceiving and responding to the external environment is one of the key elements of life activities. Cells that compose the body sense and react to the surrounding microenvironment continually. In various biological processes, cells are exposed to mechanical microenvironments that can impact cell functions and fates through exerting biomechanical stimulation in different ways. How cells sense and respond to these mechanical force signals is one of the key questions in life sciences. As a new type of mechanoreceptor, the nucleus is critical in determining cell fate and function in response to various signals and stimuli. Precise methods to reconstruct the mechanical microenvironment are crucial for investigating the nuclear response to mechanical cues. This review presents an overview of the currently available methods for reconstructing biomimetic mechanical microenvironments, and focuses on how each component of the nucleus senses and responds to mechanical force signals in the microenvironments to regulate cell behavior and fate, aiming to provide a reference for a more comprehensive understanding of nuclear mechanical sensing and response functions.
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