REVIEW article
Front. Physiol.
Sec. Craniofacial Biology and Dental Research
Volume 16 - 2025 | doi: 10.3389/fphys.2025.1661054
Tissue Stiffness Heterogeneity in the Jaw and Temporomandibular Joint: Its Impact on Tumor Metabolism and Considerations for In vitro Model Development
Provisionally accepted
- 1Stomatological Hospital of Chongqing Medical University, Chongqing, China
- 2Chongqing Medical University, Chongqing, China
- 3Chongqing Municipal Key Laboratory of Oral Biomedical Engineering of Higher Education, Chongqing, China
- 4Xi'an Jiaotong University, Xi'an, China
- 5Key Laboratory of Biomechanics and Mechanobiology, Beijing Advanced Innovation Center for Biomedical Engineering, Beihang University, Beijing, China
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Malignant bone-and cartilage-forming tumors exhibit heterogeneous clinical behavior across various body regions. Understanding the mechanisms underlying these differences is essential for developing targeted diagnostic and therapeutic strategies. This review proposes the hypothesis that tissue stiffness heterogeneity contributes to the distinct progression and prognosis of tumors in the jaw and temporomandibular joint (TMJ) compared to peripheral skeletal sites, potentially through stiffness-mediated metabolic reprogramming. To evaluate this hypothesis, a conceptual framework is provided to guide future research. This review summarizes spatial and temporal variations in stiffness across the jaw, TMJ, and femur, and introduces potential mechanisms through which mechanical stiffness may influence tumor metabolism. Technical strategies and material considerations for designing scaffolds that mimic bone and cartilage stiffness are discussed, along with current applications of stiffness-biomimetic scaffolds for in vitro investigation of malignant bone-and cartilage-forming tumors. By integrating insights from mechanobiology, tumor metabolism, and scaffold engineering, this review aims to facilitate the development of targeted experimental approaches that may contribute to more effective treatment strategies.
Keywords: stiffness, heterogeneity, Metabolism, Bone- and cartilage-forming tumors, in vitro model
Received: 07 Jul 2025; Accepted: 24 Sep 2025.
Copyright: © 2025 Li, Deng, Hou, Suo, Xu, wang and Song. This is an open-access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License (CC BY). The use, distribution or reproduction in other forums is permitted, provided the original author(s) or licensor are credited and that the original publication in this journal is cited, in accordance with accepted academic practice. No use, distribution or reproduction is permitted which does not comply with these terms.
* Correspondence:
Ling Xu, 500203@hospital.cqmu.edu.cn
chao wang, chao.wang@buaa.edu.cn
Jinlin Song, songjinlin@hospital.cqmu.edu.cn
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