Invited: Mechanisms of Short - and long-term Mechanosensing

Cells sense and respond to mechanical characteristics of their environment in a variety of ways. In particular, the rigidity of the extracellular matrix (ECM) to which cells adhere is a critical determinant of the most fundamental cellular processes, including cell migration, differentiation, death, and growth. In order to test the rigidity of the ECM, cells apply cytoskeletal-based forces to it; however, there are fundamental aspects of this ‘mechanosensing’ process that are poorly understood. In my talk, I will discuss our recent studies on the kinetics of mechanosensing. In particular, we would like to understand how short-term mechanosensing events lead to long-term cellular decisions on proliferation.