Hi Jennifer,
Thanks for sharing, that’s a really interesting paper. In retrospect, it seems obvious that the material/mechanical properties of the ECM would influence cell signaling/behavior. But that aspect of the cell’s microenvironmental niche really escaped my notice. I wonder how ECM stiffening or relaxing may encourage or discourage pathological angiogenesis (in the tumor or retinopathy settings, for example). And, for that matter, how ECM material properties do or do not influence developmental processes like tubulogenesis. Just a fascinating aspect of the cellular niche!