What is it about?
This article aim to explore the shape selection rules that govern shape deformations of living systems such as cells and tissues. We do this by using self-assembled bio-inspired gels of well-defined initial properties. This method offers clear advantages by allowing the exploration of shape formation rules under controlled conditions, avoiding the complexities of living systems, to provide valuable insights into the mechanics of shape deformation in biological and synthetic systems.
Featured Image
Photo by Sandra Filipe on Unsplash
Why is it important?
This research provides valuable insights into how mechanical stress can lead to spontaneous shape changes in materials that mimic biological tissues. These findings not only enhance our understanding of how living systems develop their forms but also suggest that similar mechanisms might be at play across different scales in biological systems. Moreover, as the field of synthetic biology advances, creating life-like systems in the lab is becoming more feasible and important. This research contributes timely insights into how we can manipulate physical and biological properties to engineer systems that mimic natural organisms. In fact, the principles discovered could extend beyond biology, impacting material science, robotics, and nanotechnology, where understanding and controlling shape formation is crucial.
Perspectives
Writing this article was a great pleasure allowing us to demonstrate the strength of using biomimetic systems to study complex biological processes such as shape deformation.
Anne Bernheim
Read the Original
This page is a summary of: Self-assembled active actomyosin gels spontaneously curve and wrinkle similar to biological cells and tissues, Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, January 2024, Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences,
DOI: 10.1073/pnas.2309125121.
You can read the full text:
Contributors
The following have contributed to this page
