As a crucial regulatory factor of a variety of physiological and pathological processes, biomechanics has gained more interest. In addition to traditional cognition (such as shear stress generated by blood flow, respiratory force, and compressive or tensile stresses from the skin and the musculoskeletal system) every single cell in our body is influenced by a mechanical niche formed by an extracellular matrix (ECM). Normally, the proportions and structures of ECM components are tightly controlled, leading to the maintenance of mechanical homeostasis. During tissue fibrosis formation, the ECM is remodeled to have more fibrillar, denser, and stiffer properties, resulting in the formation of a mechanical stretched niche, which incites mechanosensitive signaling activation and subsequently pro-fibrogenic gene expression and excessive ECM production. Furthermore, continuously increased tissue stiffness leads to a persistent positive feedback loop that results in the over-production of the fibrotic matrix and subsequent fibrosis. Therefore, a deeper understanding of biomechanics could provide new insights into fibrotic tissue remodeling, helping us identify novel therapies.
The progress of the cell response to biomechanics including cell mechano-sensation, mechano-transduction, and mechano-effecting needs further exploration. This Research Topic aims to provide a comprehensive view of biomechanics regulating the fibrosis field by presenting the more recent innovations.
We welcome basic, and translational manuscripts that cover promising, recent, and novel research trends investigating how biomechanics regulates fibrosis. The research can be inclusive of all diseases which accompany by pathological manifestations of fibrosis, including, but not limited to organ fibrosis, post-trauma fibrosis, and cancer-associated fibrosis. Areas to be covered in this Research Topic may include, but are not limited to:
• Mechanoregulation mechanisms in fibrosis: Sensing, Transduction, and Effecting
• Mechanoregulation of immunity, metabolism, epigenetics, etc. in fibrosis
• Mechanoregulation of functional fibroblast heterogeneity
• Discovery of key therapeutic targets against biomechanics in fibrosis
• Development of effective antifibrotic therapies against the biomechanics targets
• New non-invasive techniques for evaluation of tissue stiffness
• Advanced techniques that can be used to study biomechanics
As a crucial regulatory factor of a variety of physiological and pathological processes, biomechanics has gained more interest. In addition to traditional cognition (such as shear stress generated by blood flow, respiratory force, and compressive or tensile stresses from the skin and the musculoskeletal system) every single cell in our body is influenced by a mechanical niche formed by an extracellular matrix (ECM). Normally, the proportions and structures of ECM components are tightly controlled, leading to the maintenance of mechanical homeostasis. During tissue fibrosis formation, the ECM is remodeled to have more fibrillar, denser, and stiffer properties, resulting in the formation of a mechanical stretched niche, which incites mechanosensitive signaling activation and subsequently pro-fibrogenic gene expression and excessive ECM production. Furthermore, continuously increased tissue stiffness leads to a persistent positive feedback loop that results in the over-production of the fibrotic matrix and subsequent fibrosis. Therefore, a deeper understanding of biomechanics could provide new insights into fibrotic tissue remodeling, helping us identify novel therapies.
The progress of the cell response to biomechanics including cell mechano-sensation, mechano-transduction, and mechano-effecting needs further exploration. This Research Topic aims to provide a comprehensive view of biomechanics regulating the fibrosis field by presenting the more recent innovations.
We welcome basic, and translational manuscripts that cover promising, recent, and novel research trends investigating how biomechanics regulates fibrosis. The research can be inclusive of all diseases which accompany by pathological manifestations of fibrosis, including, but not limited to organ fibrosis, post-trauma fibrosis, and cancer-associated fibrosis. Areas to be covered in this Research Topic may include, but are not limited to:
• Mechanoregulation mechanisms in fibrosis: Sensing, Transduction, and Effecting
• Mechanoregulation of immunity, metabolism, epigenetics, etc. in fibrosis
• Mechanoregulation of functional fibroblast heterogeneity
• Discovery of key therapeutic targets against biomechanics in fibrosis
• Development of effective antifibrotic therapies against the biomechanics targets
• New non-invasive techniques for evaluation of tissue stiffness
• Advanced techniques that can be used to study biomechanics
