Mekaaninenbiologinen

Mekaaninenbiologinen, also known as mechanobiology, is an interdisciplinary field that studies how mechanical forces and the physical properties of the environment influence biological systems. It spans scales from molecules and cells to tissues and whole organisms, examining how physical cues such as substrate stiffness, stretch, shear flow, and compression regulate cellular behavior, development, and disease processes. The field integrates biology, physics, engineering, and mathematics to quantify forces, deformations, and responses.

Key concepts include mechanotransduction: the conversion of mechanical stimuli into biochemical signals via structures such as focal adhesions, the cytoskeleton, ion channels, and the nucleus. Mechanical cues influence signaling pathways, transcription, and gene expression; notable examples include YAP/TAZ signaling in response to stiffness, and cytoskeletal remodeling in response to shear stress.

Common methods used in mekkaaninenbiologinen research include traction force microscopy to map forces exerted by cells, atomic force microscopy to measure stiffness, magnetic and optical tweezers to apply controlled forces, micropipette aspiration, and microfluidic devices to impose fluid shear. Experimental systems employ engineered substrates with tunable stiffness, nanotopography, and viscoelastic properties. Computational models and multiscale simulations help interpret data and predict responses.

Applications span tissue engineering and regenerative medicine, where mechanical cues direct stem cell fate; cardiovascular and cancer biology, where mechanics influence disease progression; and developmental biology, where biomechanics shape morphogenesis. Challenges include measuring forces in living tissues, replicating in vivo mechanics in vitro, and integrating complex mechanical signals with biochemical networks to inform therapies.