In tissues, the extracellular space comprises several factors that exert both chemical and mechanical effects on cells. These factors, represented by extracellular matrix (ECM) proteins and carbohydrates, biochemical factors embedded in the matrix and neighboring cells, are targets for the design of materials aimed at engineering the cell microenvironment.¹  The ECM presents chemical and physical properties that are distinct for each tissue, due not only to variation in composition but also to differences in the density and organization of ECM proteins. Hence, different topographies at the micro- and nanoscales, as well as different spacing and geometry of adhesion sites, are present at the interface with cells. Additionally, the ECM may show variations in stiffness and viscoelasticity; these traits are observed not only for different tissues but also for the same tissue during disease.²  Mechanosensing and mechanotransduction processes in cells are related to the distinct chemical and mechanical properties of the ECM. The distribution of chemical and mechanical cues within the ECM is fundamental in the regulation of cell shape, adhesion, and migration and directs several cell functions.^3,4