Physics

Cytoskeleton

Cell

Cadherin

Nanotechnology

Cell adhesion

Biology

Biophysics

Paleontology

Extracellular matrix

Chemistry

Materials science

Adherens junction

Cell mechanics

Tractive force

Cell biology

Cell junction

Traction (geology)

Biochemistry

Multicellular organism

Intracellular

Thermodynamics

Micron

Cells generate mechanical forces (traction forces, TFs) while interacting with the extracellular matrix or neighbouring cells. Forces are generated by both cells and extracellular matrix (ECM) and transmitted within the cell-ECM or cell-cell contacts involving focal adhesions or adherens junctions. Within more than two decades, substantial progress has been achieved in techniques that measure TFs. One of the techniques is traction force microscopy (TFM). This review discusses the TFM and its advances in measuring TFs exerted by cells (single cells and multicellular systems) at cell-ECM and cell-cell junctional intracellular interfaces. The answers to how cells sense, adapt and respond to mechanical forces unravel their role in controlling and regulating cell behaviour in normal and pathological conditions.

Traction force microscopy – Measuring the forces exerted by cells