Scientists have discovered how cells decide when to respond to physical forces, potentially opening new avenues for tackling diseases such as cancer and fibrosis.
The study, led by researchers at King's College London and the Institute for Bioengineering of Catalonia (IBEC), reveals that cells in the body don't just sense forces, they also measure how long those forces last before deciding to act.
In so doing, they outline a timing mechanism that allows cells to ignore brief mechanical stimuli while reacting to sustained changes, a process that is crucial in the progression of disease.
In everyday life, cells are exposed to a wide range of mechanical signals. Tissues in organs such as the lungs, heart or bladder constantly experience fast, repetitive forces from breathing, heartbeats or bladder emptying, while slower and more persistent changes occur during processes such as wound healing or tumour growth.
Cells must continuously interpret these physical forces alongside chemical signals from their surroundings. While scientists have long understood how cells respond to chemical cues, much less was known about how they process mechanical signals over time.
Now, researchers believe that cells use a 'low-pass filter' to screen short-term disturbances, but respond to persistent, longer-term changes.
Professor Pere Roca-Cusachs, senior author of the work, principal investigator of the the Cellular and Molecular Mechanobiology group at IBEC and Full Professor at the Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences of the University of Barcelona (UB), explains:
"Imagine you're driving on a motorway and hear a loud noise next to you. Likely, you'll react immediately because it could be dangerous. But if you hear a small, unusual sound from your own engine, you might ignore it unless it persists for some time. Cells face a similar challenge – they need to decide which signals matter, and when to respond to them."
The team found that cells rely on structures called fibrillar adhesions, specialised contact points that allow cells to physically grip their surroundings and transmit mechanical forces to their interior, for this mechanism.
These structures help 'hold' the cell's nucleus in a deformed state even after the force disappears, allowing the signal to persist for about an hour – held together by a network of fibres called vimentin to maintain the effect over time. When this system is disrupted, cells lose the ability to "hold onto" mechanical signals and respond much more quickly – but less selectively.
In effect, this creates a biological filter. Brief forces are ignored, but sustained ones trigger a response. Many important processes, including the activity of cancer-linked protein YAP, depend on this timing.
Dr Amy Beedle, Lecturer in Biological Physics at King's and lead author of the study, said "This work has huge implications for not just how cells and tissues function, but this temporal element, which we're amongst the first to examine, is big for the future of treatment.
"Many diseases, including cancer and fibrosis, involve long-term changes in tissue stiffness and mechanical forces. Understanding how cells interpret how these complex mechanical signals are playing a part in disease progression could empower researchers design better therapies in the future."
The findings also show that this mechanism helps protect the cell's nucleus from damage under physical stress.
The team now aims to further explore how this timing mechanism works in complex tissues and disease settings, where mechanical changes are a key part of disease progression.
About King's College London
King's College London is amongst the top 40 universities in the world and 5th best in the UK (QS World University Rankings 2026), and one of England's oldest and most prestigious universities. With an outstanding reputation for world-class teaching and cutting-edge research, King's maintained its sixth position for 'research power' in the UK (2021 Research Excellence Framework).
King's has more than 33,000 students (including more than 12,800 postgraduates) from some 150 countries worldwide, and 8,500 staff.
For nearly 200 years, King's students and staff have used their knowledge and insight to make a positive impact on people, society and the planet. Focused on delivering positive change at home in London, across the UK and around the world, King's is building on its history of addressing the world's most urgent challenges head on to accelerate progress, make discoveries and pioneer innovation. Visit the website to find out more about Vision 2029, which sets out bold ambitions for the future of King's as we look towards our 200th anniversary.
World-changing ideas. Life-changing impact: kcl.ac.uk/news
About IBEC
The Institute for Bioengineering of Catalonia (IBEC) is a CERCA center, three times recognized as a Severo Ochoa Center of Excellence, and holds the TECNIO label as a technology developer and business facilitator. IBEC is a member of the Barcelona Institute of Science and Technology (BIST) and conducts multidisciplinary research at the forefront of engineering and life sciences to generate knowledge. The institute integrates fields such as nanomedicine, biophysics, biotechnology, tissue engineering, and applications of information technologies in the health sector. IBEC, established in 2005, is a collaborative effort of the Generalitat de Catalunya, the University of Barcelona (UB), and the Polytechnic University of Catalonia (UPC).
