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Tissues grow and remodel in response to mechanical cues, extracellular and intracellular signals experienced through various biological events, from the developing embryo to disease and aging. The macroscale response of soft tissues is typically nonlinear, viscoelastic anisotropic, and often emerges from the hierarchical structure of tissues, primarily their biopolymer fiber networks at the microscale. The adaptation to mechanical cues is likewise a multiscale phenomenon. Cell mechanobiology, the ability of cells to transform mechanical inputs into chemical signaling inside the cell, and subsequent regulation of cellular behavior through intra- and inter-cellular signaling networks, is the key coupling at the microscale between the mechanical cues and the mechanical adaptation seen macroscopically. To fully understand mechanics of tissues in growth and remodeling as observed at the tissue level, multiscale models of tissue mechanobiology are essential. In this review, we summarize the state-of-the art modeling tools of soft tissues at both scales, the tissue level response, and the cell scale mechanobiology models. To help the interested reader become more familiar with these modeling frameworks, we also show representative examples. Our aim here is to bring together scientists from different disciplines and enable the future leap in multiscale modeling of tissue mechanobiology.
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This content will become publicly available on March 13, 2027
The Rheology of Living Tissues: From Cells to Organismal Mechanics
Biological tissue rheology investigates the mechanical behavior of tissues, emphasizing their viscoelastic and plastic properties that enable both solid-like elasticity and fluid-like viscosity under mechanical stress. These mechanical characteristics are pivotal in various physiological processes, such as embryonic development, tissue remodeling, wound healing, and pathological conditions including cancer metastasis. The mechanical responses of tissues, shaped by cellular forces and extracellular matrix dynamics, are crucial for maintaining tissue integrity and functionality. Rheological behaviors such as viscoelasticity, plasticity, and active mechanical responses underlie critical biological functions, enabling tissues to adapt structurally and functionally to internal and external stimuli. Recent theoretical and experimental advances have illuminated the complex interplay among cellular mechanics, biochemical signaling, and tissue-level forces, highlighting their roles in governing tissue morphogenesis, repair, and disease progression. This review synthesizes current knowledge, identifies key challenges, and discusses future directions for research in biological tissue rheology.
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- PAR ID:
- 10687609
- Publisher / Repository:
- American Chemical Society
- Date Published:
- Journal Name:
- Annual Review of Condensed Matter Physics
- Volume:
- 17
- Issue:
- 1
- ISSN:
- 1947-5454
- Page Range / eLocation ID:
- 285 to 304
- Format(s):
- Medium: X
- Sponsoring Org:
- National Science Foundation
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