Mechanotransduction, metastasis and genomic instability

Cells translate mechanical forces in the environment into biochemical signals in a process called mechanotransduction. In this way, mechanical forces direct cell behavior, including motility, proliferation, and differentiation, and become important in physiological processes such as development and wound healing. Abnormalities in mechanotransduction can lead to aberrant cell behavior and disease, including cancer. Changes in extracellular mechanical forces or defects in mechanosensors can result in misregulation of signaling pathways inside the cell, and ultimately lead to malignancy. Here, we discuss the ways in which physical attributes of the tumor microenvironment can promote metastasis and genomic instability, two hallmark features of cancer.