Cellular Mechanobiology

How individual cells and tissues in an organism are able to respond to, generate, coordinate mechanical inputs outputs is a fundamental question cell developmental biology. In the past few decades, significant progress has been made our understanding of how properties cells—either as single entities or collectively—contribute processes such signal transduction, migration, tissue morphogenesis, fate specification well disease progression. This largely possible through advancements technology available tools, including atomic force microscopy, optical magnetic tweezers, laser ablation, optogenetics. Such advances have allowed quantitative measurements, which go beyond qualitative description, forces exerted within, between, their interactions with surrounding microenvironments, determine precise contributions both on micro- macroscopic level. this issue Developmental Cell, we present focus mechanobiology, synthesizing most recent biomechanical contribute various cellular behaviors functions across multiple scales: from intra- intercellular, within organismal level, contexts development disease. Carl-Philipp Heisenberg colleagues, review, describe mechanics behind large-scale cytoplasmic reorganization driven by actin microtubule cytoskeleton vitro vivo during development. A perspective Pierre-Francois Lenne, Jean-Francois Rupprecht, Virgile Viasnoff examines dynamics cell-cell junctions, focusing adherens they influence rheology soft-matter physics angle. Looking more specifically at defined processes, Nenad Pavin Iva Tolic discuss mitotic spindle required for proper chromosome segregation, while Adam Shellard Roberto Mayor review process movements stiffness gradients, known durotaxis, further examine its potential processes. At Katharine Goodwin Celeste Nelson describes early mammalian establishment. context disease, Jacky Goetz colleagues tumor impact survival metastatic potential. Finally, Christopher Chen explores translational application engineering. Apart these reviews perspectives, also contains several short spotlight pieces articles field mechanobiology. Collectively, illustrate remarkable that mechanobiology highlight integral role biological life. Lastly, would like thank all authors reviewers contribution issue, without not possible, especially challenging times amidst SARS-CoV-2 pandemic. We hope you will enjoy reading inspire research exciting rapidly growing field.