Researchers at McGill University found that T cells can detect the physical stiffness of their surrounding tissue. When placed in progressively stiffer collagen gels, the cells were increasingly likely to develop into long-lasting tissue-resident memory cells. This physical sensitivity suggests mechanical forces play an active role in immune development alongside traditional chemical signals.
It is a neat reminder of how deeply physical biology is, down to the individual cell level. The obvious test will be finding the exact molecular sensor responsible for the feeling, which remains unknown. If researchers can pinpoint that mechanism, it might eventually help explain how T cells navigate dense tumors or misbehave in autoimmune disorders, though clinical applications are still a long way off.
more: https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2026/10/261026225617.htm
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