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As major adhesion receptors, integrins transmit biochemical and mechanical signals across the plasma membrane. These functions are regulated by transitions between bent and extended conformations and modulated by force. To understand how force on integrins mediates cellular mechanosensing, we compared two highly homologous integrins, αIIbβ3 and αVβ3. These integrins, expressed in circulating platelets vs. solid tissues, respectively, share the β3 subunit, bind similar ligands and have similar bent and extended conformations. Here, we report that in cells expressing equivalent levels of each integrin, αIIbβ3 mediates spreading on softer substrates than αVβ3. These effects correlate with differences in structural dynamics of the two integrins under force. All-atom simulations show that αIIbβ3 is more flexible than αVβ3 due to correlated residue motions within the α subunit domains. Single molecule measurements confirm that αIIbβ3 extends faster than αVβ3. These results reveal a fundamental relationship between protein function and structural dynamics in cell mechanosensing. 

Connected and automated vehicles (CAVs) offer many potential advantages, including improved traffic flow, reduction of traffic accidents, and increased freedom for adolescents and adults with restricted mobility. However, successful implementation of CAVs depends on several factors, especially acceptance and preferences by people. Specifically, during the earlier stage of deployment, CAVs will have to share the roads with human-driven vehicles (HDVs), which requires communication between CAVs and HDVs regarding their intentions and future actions. Therefore, as a first step in our research program, we conducted a survey of 182 U.S. drivers to assess their knowledge of CAVs and their thoughts about implementation. We report the survey results, accompanied by our interpretations. 

Abstract Embryonic morphogenesis is a biological process which depicts shape forming of tissues and organs during development. Unveiling the roles of mechanical forces generated, transmitted, and regulated in cells and tissues through these processes is key to understanding the biophysical mechanisms governing morphogenesis. To this end, it is imperative to measure, simulate, and predict the regulation and control of these mechanical forces during morphogenesis. This article aims to provide a comprehensive review of the recent advances on mechanical properties of cells and tissues, generation of mechanical forces in cells and tissues, the transmission processes of these generated forces during cells and tissues, the tools and methods used to measure and predict these mechanical forces in vivo, in vitro, or in silico, and to better understand the corresponding regulation and control of generated forces. Understanding the biomechanics and mechanobiology of morphogenesis will not only shed light on the fundamental physical mechanisms underlying these concerted biological processes during normal development, but also uncover new information that will benefit biomedical research in preventing and treating congenital defects or tissue engineering and regeneration.