Module section description: Mechanics is the science which studies the deformation and/or motion of bodies under the action of forces. Cytology, which is one of the numberous subdivisions of biology, is the study of cell structure and cell activities. The application of the principles of mechanics in cytology deserves to be called cytomechanics.

Cytomechanics is the study of mechanical influences on cellular functions. It uses engineering tools to explain and possibly manipulate the growth, structure and function of cells. The engineering challenges of dealing with forces and deformations on the pico-newton and nanometer levels can be met using micro- and nano-techniques, computational power and microscopic imaging. Since cells are constantly exposed to mechanical stresses throughout their lives, Cytomechanics emphasizes the processes that drive tissue growth, degeneration, and regeneration. The several different sub-topics within Cytomechanics include structural dynamics of the cytoskeleton and matrix, signaling and transduction, motility, cellular adhesion, and molecular mechanics of genetic expression. There are several studies about the cytomechanics of cellular response to chemical environment and mechanical loading. Processes such as cell locomotion and morphogenesis depend on both the generation of force by cytoskeletal elements and the response of the cell to the resulting mechanical loads. It has been quantified the mechanical responses of cytoplasm to various chemical environments and mechanical loading regimes to understand better the mechanisms of cell shape change and to address the validity of these models.

Adams D. S. Mechanisms of cell shape change: the cytomechanics of cellular response to chemical environment and mechanical loading. The Journal of Cell Biology – v.117 (1), (1992) pp 83-93.