Cell engineering: Biophysical regulation of the nucleus

Abstract Cells live in a complex and dynamic microenvironment, and a variety of microenvironmental cues can regulate cell behavior. In addition to biochemical signals, biophysical cues can induce not only immediate intracellular responses, but also long-term effects on phenotypic changes such as stem cell differentiation, immune cell activation and somatic cell reprogramming. Cells respond to mechanical stimuli via an outside-in and inside-out feedback loop, and the cell nucleus plays an important role in this process. The mechanical properties of the nucleus can directly or indirectly modulate mechanotransduction, and the physical coupling of the cell nucleus with the cytoskeleton can affect chromatin structure and regulate the epigenetic state, gene expression and cell function. In this review, we will highlight the recent progress in nuclear biomechanics and mechanobiology in the context of cell engineering, tissue remodeling and disease development.