Chapter 6: Dynamic Interfaces for Mechanobiological Studies

Cell–extracellular matrix (ECM) interactions are highly dynamic, both in space and time. Recent studies have elucidated the significant role of molecular events at the cell–ECM interfaces in the cellular mechanosensing of the bulk properties of ECMs. This chapter provides an overview of dynamic interfaces that mimic such dynamic interactions. There are two major but distinct meanings for the word “dynamic”: one is switchable, which responds to an external stimulus, such as heat, voltage, light, and magnetism, and the other is dissipative, which relaxes cellular intrinsic traction force driven by actomyosin contractility. We will introduce their design principles and applications to resolve mechanobiology by manipulating outside-in and inside-out signalling at the cell–ECM interfaces.