Cell Niche Properties as Tuned by Physical Factors: ECM Proteins as Mechanochemical Switches

The discovery that proteins can act as mechanochemical switches lies at the core of the new field of mechanobiology. Nanotools enabled to establish that structural changes induced by mechanical stress or mechano-regulated proteolytic activity alter the accessibility or presentation of binding sites and thereby modulate cellular functions. Current research highlights extracellular matrix (ECM) fiber tension as a powerful modulator of cell functions, with significant implications for tissue pathology and potential applications in clinical diagnostics and therapeutics. With the goal of developing mechanopharmaceuticals, this current opinion aims to discuss emerging insights into mechanochemical switches in the ECM and how alterations in their tensional states can influence cellular behavior and disease progression.