Modeling the Mechanics of Cancer: Effect of Changes in Cellular and Extra-Cellular Mechanical Properties

Malignant transformation, though primarily driven by genetic mutations in cells, is also accompanied by specific changes in cellular and extra-cellular mechanical properties such as stiffness and adhesivity. As the transformed cells grow into tumors, they interact with their surroundings via physical contacts and the application of forces. These forces can lead to changes in the mechanical regulation of cell fate based on the mechanical properties of the cells and their surrounding environment. A comprehensive understanding of cancer progression requires the study of how specific changes in mechanical properties influences collective cell behavior during tumor growth and metastasis. Here we review some key results from computational models describing the effect of changes in cellular and extra-cellular mechanical properties and identify mechanistic pathways for cancer progression that can be targeted for the prediction, treatment, and prevention of cancer.

• Publication year

  2013

• Venue

  Frontiers in Oncology

• Publication date

  2013-03-18

• Fields of study

  Medicine, Computer Science, Engineering

• Identifiers
  DOI 10.3389/fonc.2013.00145PMID 23781492PMCID 3678107
• External record

  Open on Semantic Scholar

• Source metadata

  Semantic Scholar, PubMed

• No claims are published for this paper.

• No concepts are published for this paper.

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