News
Paper "Precision hydrogels for the study of cancer cell mechanobiology" published
The new paper Precision hydrogels for the study of cancer cell mechanobiology by Jana Sievers, Vaibhav Mahajan, Petra Welzel, Carsten Werner and Anna Taubenberger reviews recent studies that have explored the impact of microenvironment mechanical properties on cancer cell behavior using bioengineered hydrogel-based in vitro models.
Cancer progression is associated with extensive remodeling of the tumor microenvironment, resulting in alterations of biochemical and biophysical cues that affect both cancer and stromal cells. Bioengineered polymer hydrogels can be instrumental to systematically explore how mechanically changed tumor microenvironments impact cancer cell behavior, including proliferation, survival, drug resistance and invasion. This review summaries recent developments in the field of hydrogel-based cancer models that allow for more controlled studies on cancer cell mechanobiology in a 3D context. In particular, advanced engineering strategies for tailored hydrogel matrices recapitulating the tumor microenvironment’s micron- and submicron-scale architectural and mechanical features, while accounting for its intrinsically heterogenic and dynamic nature are highlighted.
The paper was published in Advanced Healthcare Materials.
DOI: 10.1002/adhm.202202514
30.03.2023