Cited by 69Cellular Mechanics and InteractionsRheology and Fluid Dynamics StudiesHydrogels: synthesis, properties, applications

Viscoelastic Networks: Forming Cells and Tissues

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Corominas-Murtra, Bernat, Petridou, Nicoletta I.·2021·Frontiers in Physics

Abstract

Spatiotemporal changes in viscoelasticity are a key component of the morphogenesis of living systems. Experimental and theoretical findings suggest that cellular- and tissue-scale viscoelasticity can be understood as a collective property emerging from macromolecular and cellular interactions, respectively. Linking the changes in the structural or material properties of cells and tissues, such as material phase transitions, to the microscopic interactions of their constituents, is still a challenge both at the experimental and theoretical level. In this review, we summarize work on the viscoelastic nature of cytoskeletal, extracellular and cellular networks. We then conceptualize viscoelasticity as a network theory problem and discuss its applications in several biological contexts. We propose that the statistical mechanics of networks can be used in the future as a powerful framework to uncover quantitatively the biomechanical basis of viscoelasticity across scales.

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Crossref · 10.3389/fphy.2021.666916

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  • From a developmental perspective, the existence of material phases at the tissue scale defines a low-dimensional scenario of potential tissue properties and structures with obvious regulatory advantages.

    “From a developmental perspective—as we already outlined in §5—the existence of material phases at the tissue scale defines a low-dimensional scenario of potential tissue properties and structures with obvious regulatory advantages [403–405].”

    From Fundamental constraints to the logic of living systems (2024) · cites this paper as [405]

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Authors
Corominas-Murtra, B., & Petridou, N. I.
Affiliations
European Molecular Biology Laboratory (DE)
Corresponding author
Petridou, Nicoletta I.
Venue
Frontiers in Physics
Published
2021-06-09
Volume
9
ISSN
2296-424X (ISSN-L)
OpenAlex
W3167755476
Cited by
69
References
161
Citations by year
2026: 13 · 2025: 19 · 2024: 19 · 2023: 4 · 2022: 11 · 2021: 3
FWCI
4.83
Type
journal article
Language
en
Open access
Locations
  • Frontiers in Physics (publishedVersion, cc-by)
  • DOAJ (DOAJ: Directory of Open Access Journals) (submittedVersion, cc-by-sa)
Topics
  • Life Sciences › Biochemistry, Genetics and Molecular Biology › Cell Biology › Cellular Mechanics and Interactions
  • Physical Sciences › Chemical Engineering › Fluid Flow and Transfer Processes › Rheology and Fluid Dynamics Studies
  • Life Sciences › Biochemistry, Genetics and Molecular Biology › Molecular Medicine › Hydrogels: synthesis, properties, applications
Keywords
viscoelasticity, biological networks, cytoskeleton, extracellular matrix, cell mechanics, tissue mechanics, morphogenesis, network theory, statistical mechanics of networks, biomechanics, collective ownership

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