A standardized comparison of contractile force among in vitro muscle tissues across different platforms requires proper normalization with the contractile area and complementary morphological, maturation, and functional analysis to reduce variability and boost a new generation of engineered constructs.

Mechanosensitive inhibition of actin polymerization through VASP phosphorylation is required for stress fiber maturation and alignment.

The forces that multicellular tumor aggregates exert on their environment lead to non-linear, scale-invariant tissue deformations far away from the tumor, which can be exploited to quantify its collective contractility.

A novel bioengineered human skeletal muscle model with accurate physiological and pharmacological responses may provide a useful tool for preclinical testing.

A smooth and circular interface can form between domains of the cell cortex from local induction of a contractile actomyosin ring by centrifugal pushing forces of an expanding Arp2/3 actin network.

During ingestion of antibody-coated targets, phagocytes probe and deform the target via Arp2/3-dependent protrusions and myosin-dependent constriction during cup closure.

Novel mechanisms for cellular centering and symmetry breaking involving persistent contractile actomyosin flows and their hydrodynamic interactions with the fluid cytosol are presented and studied using a minimal, reconstituted system.

The mechanical response of adherent cells in structured environments is shown to be shaped by the intricate interplay between the three different isoforms of an essential molecular motor.

Treatment of human pluripotent stem cell-derived myotubes with a cocktail of small molecules induces their maturation, as shown by gene expression, biochemical and functional assays.

Radial alignment in confined cell monolayers with isotropic actin network is found to be mediated by the condensation tendency and tissue-scale actin gradient.