A surreal illustration of cells as buildings, with mechanobiological forces as rivers, in a futuristic landscape.

Decoding Cell Mechanics: How Scientists Are Unlocking the Secrets Within

Samir D’Costa in Science & Nature December 2025 • 4 min read.

"From cancer detection to regenerative medicine, understanding the physical forces inside our cells is revolutionizing healthcare. Here's a look at the cutting-edge techniques and what they mean for you."

Our cells are constantly interacting with their environment, sensing and responding to a symphony of physical and chemical cues. This intricate dance governs everything from cell growth and movement to tissue development and even disease progression. The field of mechanobiology seeks to understand these interactions, and it's revealing just how crucial mechanical forces are to cell behavior.

For years, scientists have been developing tools to probe the mechanical properties of cells, measuring their stiffness, elasticity, and the forces they generate. These investigations are no longer confined to the lab; they're paving the way for revolutionary advances in how we diagnose and treat diseases.

This article explores the fascinating world of cell mechanics, highlighting the latest technologies used to study these microscopic forces and the potential impact on human health.

The Toolkit for Cellular Exploration: Probing Techniques Unveiled

A surreal illustration of cells as buildings, with mechanobiological forces as rivers, in a futuristic landscape.

Researchers use various methods to investigate cell mechanics, each with unique strengths: active stimulation methods, where external forces are applied, and passive stimulation methods, which measure cell-generated forces without external intervention.

Active stimulation methods directly manipulate cells to observe their response:

Atomic Force Microscopy (AFM): Imagine a tiny finger gently poking a cell's surface. AFM uses a microcantilever to indent the cell, measuring its stiffness and creating detailed maps of its mechanical properties.
Optical Tweezers (OTs): Using focused laser beams, OTs can trap and manipulate cells or even their internal components. Scientists use this to measure the forces of cell adhesion or the interactions between structures within the cell.
Magnetic Tweezers (MTs): MTs employ magnetic beads to apply forces to cells. By manipulating these beads with magnets, researchers can measure cellular responses to twisting or pulling forces.
Acoustic Tweezers (ATs): Sound waves can also manipulate cells! ATs use sound waves to manipulate cells without direct contact, offering a non-invasive way to study cellular behavior.

Passive methods, on the other hand, observe the forces cells naturally exert on their surroundings. These include microengineered platforms (like MEMS devices that measure cell-induced changes) and traction force microscopy (TFM), which uses flexible substrates with fluorescent markers to track cell-generated forces. In its original version, cells were cultured on flexible silicone sheets with different compliance. During cell action, silicone patterns wrinkled and this could be visualized under a light microscope

The Future is Forceful: What's Next for Cell Mechanics?

Cell mechanics is proving to be a vital piece of the puzzle in understanding health and disease. By understanding how physical forces influence cell behavior, scientists can gain insights into various diseases.

While challenges remain in accurately replicating the complex in vivo environment, technological advancements are constantly pushing the boundaries of what's possible. We can expect to see even more sophisticated tools emerge, offering unprecedented control and resolution for studying cellular forces.

The ultimate goal is to translate this knowledge into real-world applications. By understanding the mechanical signatures of disease, we can develop new diagnostic tools, targeted therapies, and regenerative medicine strategies that harness the power of cell mechanics to improve human health.

About this Article -

This article was crafted using a human-AI hybrid and collaborative approach. AI assisted our team with initial drafting, research insights, identifying key questions, and image generation. Our human editors guided topic selection, defined the angle, structured the content, ensured factual accuracy and relevance, refined the tone, and conducted thorough editing to deliver helpful, high-quality information.See our About page for more information.

This article is based on research published under:

DOI-LINK: 10.3389/fphys.2018.01449, Alternate LINK

Title: Biomechanical Characterization At The Cell Scale: Present And Prospects

Subject: Physiology (medical)

Journal: Frontiers in Physiology

Publisher: Frontiers Media SA

Authors: Francesco Basoli, Sara Maria Giannitelli, Manuele Gori, Pamela Mozetic, Alessandra Bonfanti, Marcella Trombetta, Alberto Rainer

Published: 2018-11-15

Everything You Need To Know

What is cell mechanics and why is it important?

Cell mechanics is the study of how cells respond to physical forces. Understanding these forces is vital because they influence cell behavior, cell growth, movement, and tissue development, and are implicated in disease progression. The field of mechanobiology explores these interactions, revealing the crucial role of mechanical forces in cell behavior, potentially leading to breakthroughs in disease diagnosis and treatment.

What are some of the methods used to study cell mechanics?

Scientists use several tools to study cell mechanics. Active stimulation methods include Atomic Force Microscopy (AFM), Optical Tweezers (OTs), Magnetic Tweezers (MTs), and Acoustic Tweezers (ATs). AFM uses a microcantilever to measure cell stiffness. OTs use focused laser beams to manipulate cells. MTs use magnetic beads to apply forces, and ATs use sound waves. Passive methods include microengineered platforms and traction force microscopy (TFM). These methods help scientists understand how cells interact with their environment.

How does Atomic Force Microscopy (AFM) work, and why is it significant?

Atomic Force Microscopy (AFM) works by using a microcantilever to indent the cell's surface, measuring its stiffness, and creating detailed maps of its mechanical properties. This is important because it allows scientists to understand the physical properties of a cell, like its stiffness, which can be indicative of health or disease. For example, changes in cell stiffness can be a sign of cancer.

What is the function of Optical Tweezers (OTs), and why is it important?

Optical Tweezers (OTs) utilize focused laser beams to trap and manipulate cells or their internal components. This is important because it allows scientists to measure the forces of cell adhesion or the interactions between structures within the cell. By precisely manipulating and measuring these interactions, researchers can gain insight into the mechanics of cellular processes and their relation to diseases.

How does Traction Force Microscopy (TFM) work, and why is it important?

Traction force microscopy (TFM) is a passive method. It uses flexible substrates with fluorescent markers to track cell-generated forces. In TFM, cells are cultured on flexible silicone sheets and the wrinkling of these sheets during cell action can be visualized under a light microscope. This technique is important because it allows scientists to observe the forces cells naturally exert on their surroundings, providing insights into how cells interact with their environment and how this relates to diseases or other cellular processes.