Featured
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Letter |
Weak catch bonds make strong networks
Reconstituted cytoskeleton networks linked with catch bonds display increased mechanical strength and crack resistance than those containing slip bonds, and simultaneously being more deformable, which allows for better adaptability to new mechanical environments.
- Yuval Mulla
- , Mario J. Avellaneda
- & Gijsje H. Koenderink
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Article |
Basement membrane stiffness determines metastases formation
The basement membrane stiffness is shown to be a more dominant determinant than pore size in regulating cancer cell invasion, metastasis formation and patient survival. This stiffness is now known to be affected by the ratio of netrin-4 to laminin, with more netrin-4 leading to softer basement membranes.
- Raphael Reuten
- , Sina Zendehroud
- & Janine T. Erler
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Article |
Self-repair protects microtubules from destruction by molecular motors
Molecular motors destroy a microtubule lattice as they walk on it, but it is now shown that a self-healing process incorporates new dimers in the damaged regions and prevents microtubule disassembly.
- Sarah Triclin
- , Daisuke Inoue
- & Manuel Théry
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Article |
Intracellular production of hydrogels and synthetic RNA granules by multivalent molecular interactions
An approach to form protein-based hydrogels in living cells that resemble physiological hydrogel-like size-dependent molecular sieves is presented. Synthetic RNA granules mimics are obtained by functionalizing these entities with RNA-binding motifs.
- Hideki Nakamura
- , Albert A. Lee
- & Takanari Inoue
Compressive forces stabilize microtubules in living cells