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Abstract
The past decade has seen substantial growth in research into how changes in the biomechanical
and biophysical properties of cells and subcellular structures influence, and are
influenced by, the onset and progression of human diseases. This paper presents an
overview of the rapidly expanding, nascent field of research that deals with the biomechanics
and biophysics of cancer cells. The review begins with some key observations on the
biology of cancer cells and on the role of actin microfilaments, intermediate filaments
and microtubule biopolymer cytoskeletal components in influencing cell mechanics,
locomotion, differentiation and neoplastic transformation. In order to set the scene
for mechanistic discussions of the connections among alterations to subcellular structures,
attendant changes in cell deformability, cytoadherence, migration, invasion and tumor
metastasis, a survey is presented of the various quantitative mechanical and physical
assays to extract the elastic and viscoelastic deformability of cancer cells. Results
available in the literature on cell mechanics for different types of cancer are then
reviewed. Representative case studies are presented next to illustrate how chemically
induced cytoskeletal changes, biomechanical responses and signals from the intracellular
regions act in concert with the chemomechanical environment of the extracellular matrix
and the molecular tumorigenic signaling pathways to effect malignant transformations.
Results are presented to illustrate how changes to cytoskeletal architecture induced
by cancer drugs and chemotherapy regimens can significantly influence cell mechanics
and disease state. It is reasoned through experimental evidence that greater understanding
of the mechanics of cancer cell deformability and its interactions with the extracellular
physical, chemical and biological environments offers enormous potential for significant
new developments in disease diagnostics, prophylactics, therapeutics and drug efficacy
assays.