Universality in cell mechanics

Abstract

The cytoskeleton (CSK) of the adherent living cell is arguably the most complex form of soft matter that exists in nature. It is constituted by hundreds of different proteins that interact with each other in a highly specific manner and, as a requirement for life, exists out of thermodynamic equilibrium and in a constant state of remodeling. While such structural and dynamical complexity may have conferred the cell with diverse and unpredictable mechanical properties, recent evidence indicates that the behavior of the CSK conforms to a limited set of empirical laws that appear to be simple and universal. While mechanistic understanding of such laws is still lacking, their very existence suggests that rather than being addressed solely in terms of molecular details and specific interactions, cell mechanics need to be addressed also from an integrative point of view.