Research advances on the effects of mechanical forces on epithelial cells

There are multiple signaling communication modalities for the biological activities of single cells or groups of cells. The elucidated modalities include neuronal electrical signal communication, long-distance communication mediated by hormones, and short-range signal communication secreted by cells into the extracellular environment, etc. Recently, many studies have shown that mechanical forces are also extensively involved in the information exchange between cells or between cells and the external environment, especially in the signal communication among epithelial cells or between epithelial cells and the extracellular matrix. The cell communication triggered by mechanical forces is instantaneous and rapid, and it affects various activities of both individual epithelial cells and epithelial cell clusters. The mediators of cell communication induced by mechanical forces include actin, myosin, cytoskeleton, and adherens junctions, etc. These mediators trigger processes such as ion flow, activation of signaling pathways, and regulation of transcription factors through mechanical signals, thereby interfering with cell behaviors. This article elaborates on the impacts of mechanical forces on epithelial cells from multiple aspects, including biological signals, three-dimensional folding, collective migration, cell metabolism, carcinogenesis, and epithelial-mesenchymal transition.