Durotaxis Archives - Institute for Bioengineering of Catalonia

February 14, 2023February 7, 2023

Cancer cells move to rigid environments like droplets

Researchers from the Institute of Bioengineering of Catalonia (IBEC) and the University of Barcelona (UB) uncovered a similarity between liquid droplets and cell groups, revealing that surface tension helps cells to … Read more

May 29, 2020May 18, 2020

IBEC researchers explain “Durotaxis”, a cell migration mechanism with a potential role in several diseases

Xavier Trepat, group leader of the “Integrative cell and tissue dynamics” at IBEC together with Raimon Sunyer, Senior researcher in Trepat’s lab, have written a Primer in Current Biology magazine on “Durotaxis”, a cell migration mechanism that might have a role in several disease states that include the stiffening of tissues.

Embryo development, tumour progression or the immune response against pathogens requires cell migration.

October 13, 2016September 9, 2016

Cells move en masse towards rigid tissues

A new phenomenon, collective durotaxis, opens new avenues to control tumor growth and improve wound healing

In a study published today in the journal Science, researchers at IBEC have shown that several types of cells are attracted to the most rigid areas of tissues. The discovery contradicts the traditional view that cell movement is guided primarily by variations in the chemical concentration of proteins and ions.