Determination of single-molecule loading rate during mechanotransduction in cell adhesion. (https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/38513010/)

These scientists wanted to understand how cells interact with their environment using special receptors on their surface. They found that the strength of these interactions can change depending on how quickly force is applied. So, they created a special tool called an overstretching tension sensor (OTS) to measure the force more accurately in real-life conditions.

To test their tool, they connected multiple OTSs together and found that certain cells, like white blood cells, apply force to their receptors much faster than other cells, like skin cells. This helps us understand how different cells respond to their surroundings and could lead to new discoveries in biology.

Jo MH., Meneses P., Yang O., Carcamo CC., Pangeni S., Ha T. Determination of single-molecule loading rate during mechanotransduction in cell adhesion. Science. 2024 Mar 22;383(6689):1374-1379. doi: 10.1126/science.adk6921. Epub 2024 Mar 21.