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Free keywords:
Mechanobiology, Förster resonance energy
transfer, Biosensors, Mechanotransduction, Fluorescence
lifetime imaging microscopy.
Abstract:
The ability of cells to sense and respond to
mechanical forces is central to a wide range of biological
processes and plays an important role in numerous pathol-
ogies. The molecular mechanisms underlying cellular mech-
anotransduction, however, have remained largely elusive
because suitable methods to investigate subcellular force
propagation were missing. Here, we review recent advances
in the development of biosensors that allow molecular force
measurements. We describe the underlying principle of
currently available techniques and propose a strategy to
systematically evaluate new Fo
̈
rster resonance energy trans-
fer (FRET)-based biosensors
