Pulling forces drive cell shape

Scientists from the Mechanobiology Institute at NUS have unveiled a new mechanism of cell boundary elongation. The essential activities of elongation and contraction of the cell boundary direct changes in cell shape, which is required for the correct development of tissues and organs.

The study, published in Current Biology on 11 August 2016, showed that structural and motor protein networks are responsible for both elongation and contraction of the cell boundary. This invaluable knowledge will help researchers decipher the many biological processes in the body such as organ specialisation and wound healing.

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