{"id":"https://openalex.org/W7214340488","doi":"https://doi.org/10.64898/2026.09.19.752881","title":"CAF contractility controls collagen stiffness through history-dependent competition between mechanical and proteolytic remodeling","display_name":"CAF contractility controls collagen stiffness through history-dependent competition between mechanical and proteolytic remodeling","publication_year":2026,"publication_date":"2026-09-22","ids":{"openalex":"https://openalex.org/W7214340488","doi":"https://doi.org/10.64898/2026.09.19.752881"},"language":"en","primary_location":{"id":"doi:10.64898/2026.09.19.752881","doi":"https://doi.org/10.64898/2026.09.19.752881","is_oa":true,"landing_page_url":"https://doi.org/10.64898/2026.09.19.752881","pdf_url":"https://www.biorxiv.org/content/biorxiv/early/2026/09/22/2026.09.19.752881.full.pdf","source":{"id":"https://openalex.org/S4306402567","display_name":"bioRxiv (Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory)","issn_l":null,"issn":null,"is_oa":false,"is_in_doaj":false,"is_core":false,"listed_in":[],"host_organization":"https://openalex.org/I2750212522","host_organization_name":"Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory","host_organization_lineage":["https://openalex.org/I2750212522"],"host_organization_lineage_names":[],"type":"repository"},"license":"cc-by-nc","license_id":"https://openalex.org/licenses/cc-by-nc","version":"acceptedVersion","is_accepted":true,"is_published":false,"raw_source_name":"bioRxiv","raw_type":"posted-content"},"volume":null,"type":"preprint","is_traditional":true,"indexed_in":["crossref"],"open_access":{"is_oa":true,"oa_status":"green","oa_url":"https://www.biorxiv.org/content/biorxiv/early/2026/09/22/2026.09.19.752881.full.pdf","any_repository_has_fulltext":true},"authorships":[{"author_position":"first","author":{"id":"https://openalex.org/A5038578937","display_name":"Bashar Emon","orcid":"https://orcid.org/0000-0002-5211-8014","observed_orcids":["https://orcid.org/0000-0002-5211-8014"]},"institutions":[{"id":"https://openalex.org/I157725225","display_name":"University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign","ror":"https://ror.org/047426m28","country_code":"US","type":"education","lineage":["https://openalex.org/I157725225"]}],"countries":["US"],"is_corresponding":false,"raw_author_name":"Bashar Emon","raw_affiliation_strings":["Mechanical Science & Engineering, University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, IL, USA"],"raw_orcid":"https://orcid.org/0000-0002-5211-8014","affiliations":[{"raw_affiliation_string":"Mechanical Science & Engineering, University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, IL, USA","institution_ids":["https://openalex.org/I157725225"]}]},{"author_position":"middle","author":{"id":"https://openalex.org/A5119734247","display_name":"Ahmadreza Kashefi","orcid":"https://orcid.org/0009-0003-1764-3838","observed_orcids":["https://orcid.org/0009-0003-1764-3838"]},"institutions":[{"id":"https://openalex.org/I157725225","display_name":"University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign","ror":"https://ror.org/047426m28","country_code":"US","type":"education","lineage":["https://openalex.org/I157725225"]}],"countries":["US"],"is_corresponding":false,"raw_author_name":"Ahmadreza Kashefi","raw_affiliation_strings":["Mechanical Science & Engineering, University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, IL, USA"],"raw_orcid":null,"affiliations":[{"raw_affiliation_string":"Mechanical Science & Engineering, University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, IL, USA","institution_ids":["https://openalex.org/I157725225"]}]},{"author_position":"last","author":{"id":"https://openalex.org/A5152827767","display_name":"M. Taher A. Saif","orcid":null,"observed_orcids":[]},"institutions":[{"id":"https://openalex.org/I157725225","display_name":"University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign","ror":"https://ror.org/047426m28","country_code":"US","type":"education","lineage":["https://openalex.org/I157725225"]}],"countries":["US"],"is_corresponding":true,"raw_author_name":"M. Taher A. Saif","raw_affiliation_strings":["Mechanical Science & Engineering, University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, IL, USA"],"raw_orcid":null,"affiliations":[{"raw_affiliation_string":"Mechanical Science & Engineering, University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, IL, USA","institution_ids":["https://openalex.org/I157725225"]}]}],"institutions":[],"countries_distinct_count":1,"institutions_distinct_count":1,"corresponding_author_ids":["https://openalex.org/A5152827767"],"corresponding_institution_ids":["https://openalex.org/I157725225"],"apc_list":null,"apc_paid":null,"fwci":null,"has_fulltext":true,"cited_by_count":0,"citation_normalized_percentile":null,"cited_by_percentile_year":null,"biblio":{"volume":null,"issue":null,"first_page":null,"last_page":null},"is_retracted":false,"is_paratext":false,"is_xpac":false,"primary_topic":{"id":"https://openalex.org/T10379","display_name":"Cellular Mechanics and Interactions","score":0.9994999766349792,"subfield":{"id":"https://openalex.org/subfields/1307","display_name":"Cell Biology"},"field":{"id":"https://openalex.org/fields/13","display_name":"Biochemistry, Genetics and Molecular Biology"},"domain":{"id":"https://openalex.org/domains/1","display_name":"Life Sciences"}},"topics":[{"id":"https://openalex.org/T10379","display_name":"Cellular Mechanics and Interactions","score":0.9994999766349792,"subfield":{"id":"https://openalex.org/subfields/1307","display_name":"Cell Biology"},"field":{"id":"https://openalex.org/fields/13","display_name":"Biochemistry, Genetics and Molecular Biology"},"domain":{"id":"https://openalex.org/domains/1","display_name":"Life Sciences"}},{"id":"https://openalex.org/T10336","display_name":"Cancer Cells and Metastasis","score":9.999999747378752e-05,"subfield":{"id":"https://openalex.org/subfields/2730","display_name":"Oncology"},"field":{"id":"https://openalex.org/fields/27","display_name":"Medicine"},"domain":{"id":"https://openalex.org/domains/4","display_name":"Health Sciences"}},{"id":"https://openalex.org/T11501","display_name":"TGF-\u03b2 signaling in diseases","score":9.999999747378752e-05,"subfield":{"id":"https://openalex.org/subfields/1312","display_name":"Molecular Biology"},"field":{"id":"https://openalex.org/fields/13","display_name":"Biochemistry, Genetics and Molecular Biology"},"domain":{"id":"https://openalex.org/domains/1","display_name":"Life Sciences"}}],"keywords":[{"id":"https://openalex.org/keywords/cancer-associated-fibroblasts","display_name":"cancer-associated fibroblasts","score":1.0},{"id":"https://openalex.org/keywords/collagen-stiffness","display_name":"collagen stiffness","score":0.8830000162124634},{"id":"https://openalex.org/keywords/tumor-microenvironment","display_name":"tumor microenvironment","score":0.5460000038146973},{"id":"https://openalex.org/keywords/rock-inhibition","display_name":"ROCK inhibition","score":0.7020000219345093},{"id":"https://openalex.org/keywords/non-muscle-myosin-ii","display_name":"non-muscle myosin II","score":0.9419999718666077},{"id":"https://openalex.org/keywords/matrix-metalloproteinases","display_name":"matrix metalloproteinases","score":0.8709999918937683},{"id":"https://openalex.org/keywords/lysyl-oxidase","display_name":"lysyl oxidase","score":0.9940000176429749},{"id":"https://openalex.org/keywords/collagen-fiber-alignment","display_name":"collagen fiber alignment","score":0.5690000057220459},{"id":"https://openalex.org/keywords/second-harmonic-generation-microscopy","display_name":"second harmonic generation microscopy","score":0.7139999866485596},{"id":"https://openalex.org/keywords/frap-assay","display_name":"FRAP","score":0.9750000238418579}],"concepts":[{"id":"https://openalex.org/C12554922","wikidata":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q7100","display_name":"Biophysics","level":1,"score":0.6690000295639038},{"id":"https://openalex.org/C185592680","wikidata":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q2329","display_name":"Chemistry","level":0,"score":0.6348999738693237},{"id":"https://openalex.org/C39133596","wikidata":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q5165683","display_name":"Contractility","level":2,"score":0.6183000206947327},{"id":"https://openalex.org/C2779372316","wikidata":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q569057","display_name":"Stiffness","level":2,"score":0.5631999969482422},{"id":"https://openalex.org/C6997183","wikidata":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q271727","display_name":"Myosin","level":2,"score":0.5368000268936157},{"id":"https://openalex.org/C189165786","wikidata":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q193825","display_name":"Extracellular matrix","level":2,"score":0.49390000104904175},{"id":"https://openalex.org/C68731436","wikidata":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q1337087","display_name":"Sarcomere","level":3,"score":0.445499986410141},{"id":"https://openalex.org/C136229726","wikidata":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q327092","display_name":"Biomedical engineering","level":1,"score":0.44440001249313354},{"id":"https://openalex.org/C193143273","wikidata":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q419389","display_name":"Lysyl oxidase","level":3,"score":0.429500013589859},{"id":"https://openalex.org/C2781098093","wikidata":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q85787439","display_name":"Softening","level":2,"score":0.4075999855995178},{"id":"https://openalex.org/C106487976","wikidata":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q685816","display_name":"Matrix (chemical analysis)","level":2,"score":0.37959998846054077},{"id":"https://openalex.org/C2780381497","wikidata":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q463418","display_name":"Fibroblast","level":3,"score":0.3736000061035156},{"id":"https://openalex.org/C109523444","wikidata":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q424216","display_name":"Matrix metalloproteinase","level":2,"score":0.36629998683929443},{"id":"https://openalex.org/C131584629","wikidata":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q4308705","display_name":"Coupling (piping)","level":2,"score":0.3612000048160553},{"id":"https://openalex.org/C16930146","wikidata":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q4381253","display_name":"Stromal cell","level":2,"score":0.3359000086784363},{"id":"https://openalex.org/C105702510","wikidata":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q514","display_name":"Anatomy","level":1,"score":0.3325999975204468},{"id":"https://openalex.org/C2778394429","wikidata":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q304956","display_name":"Collagenase","level":3,"score":0.313400000333786},{"id":"https://openalex.org/C95444343","wikidata":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q7141","display_name":"Cell biology","level":1,"score":0.30059999227523804},{"id":"https://openalex.org/C64348721","wikidata":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q7247456","display_name":"Procollagen peptidase","level":2,"score":0.3001999855041504},{"id":"https://openalex.org/C2780269544","wikidata":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q1509074","display_name":"Wound healing","level":2,"score":0.2978000044822693},{"id":"https://openalex.org/C2780171871","wikidata":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q6804676","display_name":"Mechanobiology","level":2,"score":0.2883000075817108},{"id":"https://openalex.org/C2781307694","wikidata":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q33123","display_name":"Proteolysis","level":3,"score":0.287200003862381},{"id":"https://openalex.org/C2776581183","wikidata":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q25104725","display_name":"Tissue remodeling","level":3,"score":0.28279998898506165},{"id":"https://openalex.org/C207865475","wikidata":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q1467330","display_name":"Myofibroblast","level":3,"score":0.27570000290870667},{"id":"https://openalex.org/C2778414984","wikidata":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q865663","display_name":"Biomaterial","level":2,"score":0.2728999853134155},{"id":"https://openalex.org/C170700871","wikidata":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q193378","display_name":"Biomechanics","level":2,"score":0.26510000228881836},{"id":"https://openalex.org/C192562407","wikidata":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q228736","display_name":"Materials science","level":0,"score":0.258899986743927},{"id":"https://openalex.org/C2780644872","wikidata":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q14881714","display_name":"Type I collagen","level":2,"score":0.25209999084472656}],"mesh":[],"locations_count":1,"locations":[{"id":"doi:10.64898/2026.09.19.752881","doi":"https://doi.org/10.64898/2026.09.19.752881","is_oa":true,"landing_page_url":"https://doi.org/10.64898/2026.09.19.752881","pdf_url":"https://www.biorxiv.org/content/biorxiv/early/2026/09/22/2026.09.19.752881.full.pdf","source":{"id":"https://openalex.org/S4306402567","display_name":"bioRxiv (Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory)","issn_l":null,"issn":null,"is_oa":false,"is_in_doaj":false,"is_core":false,"listed_in":[],"host_organization":"https://openalex.org/I2750212522","host_organization_name":"Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory","host_organization_lineage":["https://openalex.org/I2750212522"],"host_organization_lineage_names":[],"type":"repository"},"license":"cc-by-nc","license_id":"https://openalex.org/licenses/cc-by-nc","version":"acceptedVersion","is_accepted":true,"is_published":false,"raw_source_name":"bioRxiv","raw_type":"posted-content"}],"best_oa_location":{"id":"doi:10.64898/2026.09.19.752881","doi":"https://doi.org/10.64898/2026.09.19.752881","is_oa":true,"landing_page_url":"https://doi.org/10.64898/2026.09.19.752881","pdf_url":"https://www.biorxiv.org/content/biorxiv/early/2026/09/22/2026.09.19.752881.full.pdf","source":{"id":"https://openalex.org/S4306402567","display_name":"bioRxiv (Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory)","issn_l":null,"issn":null,"is_oa":false,"is_in_doaj":false,"is_core":false,"listed_in":[],"host_organization":"https://openalex.org/I2750212522","host_organization_name":"Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory","host_organization_lineage":["https://openalex.org/I2750212522"],"host_organization_lineage_names":[],"type":"repository"},"license":"cc-by-nc","license_id":"https://openalex.org/licenses/cc-by-nc","version":"acceptedVersion","is_accepted":true,"is_published":false,"raw_source_name":"bioRxiv","raw_type":"posted-content"},"sustainable_development_goals":[{"display_name":"Good health and well-being","id":"https://metadata.un.org/sdg/3","score":0.8371999859809875}],"study_designs":[],"awards":[{"id":"https://openalex.org/G1861798142","display_name":null,"funder_award_id":"1934991","funder_id":"https://openalex.org/F4320337392","funder_display_name":"Division of Electrical, Communications and Cyber Systems"},{"id":"https://openalex.org/G2773885833","display_name":"An ultra-sensitive micro sensor for biophysical studies of single cells cultured in 3D extracellular matrix","funder_award_id":"1934991","funder_id":"https://openalex.org/F4320306076","funder_display_name":"National Science Foundation"},{"id":"https://openalex.org/G4226675832","display_name":null,"funder_award_id":"ECCS 1934991","funder_id":"https://openalex.org/F4320337392","funder_display_name":"Division of Electrical, Communications and Cyber Systems"},{"id":"https://openalex.org/G5646516212","display_name":null,"funder_award_id":"2342257","funder_id":"https://openalex.org/F4320337391","funder_display_name":"Division of Civil, Mechanical and Manufacturing Innovation"},{"id":"https://openalex.org/G6080988456","display_name":"FORce-Mediated Cognition by Exercise (FORCE)","funder_award_id":"2342257","funder_id":"https://openalex.org/F4320306076","funder_display_name":"National Science Foundation"},{"id":"https://openalex.org/G6637914536","display_name":null,"funder_award_id":"CMMI 2342257","funder_id":"https://openalex.org/F4320337391","funder_display_name":"Division of Civil, Mechanical and Manufacturing Innovation"}],"funders":[{"id":"https://openalex.org/F4320306076","display_name":"National Science Foundation","ror":"https://ror.org/021nxhr62"},{"id":"https://openalex.org/F4320337391","display_name":"Division of Civil, Mechanical and Manufacturing Innovation","ror":"https://ror.org/028yd4c30"},{"id":"https://openalex.org/F4320337392","display_name":"Division of Electrical, Communications and Cyber Systems","ror":"https://ror.org/01krpsy48"}],"has_content":{"grobid_xml":true,"pdf":true},"content_urls":{"pdf":"https://content.openalex.org/works/W7214340488.pdf","grobid_xml":"https://content.openalex.org/works/W7214340488.grobid-xml"},"referenced_works_count":81,"referenced_works":["https://openalex.org/W1587510658","https://openalex.org/W1787931868","https://openalex.org/W1844836761","https://openalex.org/W1890402826","https://openalex.org/W1963798142","https://openalex.org/W1968583232","https://openalex.org/W1980081948","https://openalex.org/W1985356640","https://openalex.org/W1991689280","https://openalex.org/W1994696873","https://openalex.org/W1998266575","https://openalex.org/W2002733443","https://openalex.org/W2002906517","https://openalex.org/W2004498680","https://openalex.org/W2006628284","https://openalex.org/W2007530020","https://openalex.org/W2016193552","https://openalex.org/W2030029307","https://openalex.org/W2030762321","https://openalex.org/W2033998652","https://openalex.org/W2037227062","https://openalex.org/W2044339772","https://openalex.org/W2050742799","https://openalex.org/W2055091294","https://openalex.org/W2055801606","https://openalex.org/W2057049296","https://openalex.org/W2062809449","https://openalex.org/W2062929087","https://openalex.org/W2080473885","https://openalex.org/W2080692619","https://openalex.org/W2082046119","https://openalex.org/W2091189056","https://openalex.org/W2099052265","https://openalex.org/W2099170646","https://openalex.org/W2100303404","https://openalex.org/W2104479723","https://openalex.org/W2109706035","https://openalex.org/W2110834542","https://openalex.org/W2115124692","https://openalex.org/W2118585187","https://openalex.org/W2128231056","https://openalex.org/W2130464657","https://openalex.org/W2135139969","https://openalex.org/W2150102283","https://openalex.org/W2154577866","https://openalex.org/W2155116729","https://openalex.org/W2156008029","https://openalex.org/W2166593291","https://openalex.org/W2188225742","https://openalex.org/W2191883975","https://openalex.org/W2215113531","https://openalex.org/W2426003472","https://openalex.org/W2512899508","https://openalex.org/W2513294073","https://openalex.org/W2623800443","https://openalex.org/W2746749596","https://openalex.org/W2749355267","https://openalex.org/W2769412673","https://openalex.org/W2883081969","https://openalex.org/W2886751286","https://openalex.org/W2900872097","https://openalex.org/W2941184257","https://openalex.org/W3003058300","https://openalex.org/W3097206347","https://openalex.org/W3134165232","https://openalex.org/W3135717673","https://openalex.org/W3140488826","https://openalex.org/W3165089197","https://openalex.org/W3216094338","https://openalex.org/W4313478267","https://openalex.org/W4379197366","https://openalex.org/W4388736273","https://openalex.org/W4393332637","https://openalex.org/W4398181668","https://openalex.org/W4399389144","https://openalex.org/W4402355515","https://openalex.org/W4406015419","https://openalex.org/W4406800173","https://openalex.org/W4408959691","https://openalex.org/W4409339209","https://openalex.org/W7138444937"],"related_works":["https://openalex.org/W4398181668","https://openalex.org/W4377967163","https://openalex.org/W2945091206","https://openalex.org/W7164808890","https://openalex.org/W4388135163","https://openalex.org/W2910268466","https://openalex.org/W4413162750","https://openalex.org/W4412702389","https://openalex.org/W2129128296","https://openalex.org/W4412724714"],"abstract_inverted_index":{"Abstract":[0],"Mechanical":[1],"remodeling":[2],"by":[3,77,85],"cancer-associated":[4],"fibroblasts":[5],"(CAFs)":[6],"stiffens":[7],"tumors":[8],"and":[9,21,44,59,96,105,144,146,163,174],"can":[10],"restrict":[11],"molecular":[12],"transport,":[13],"yet":[14],"the":[15,128],"time-resolved":[16],"coupling":[17],"between":[18,92],"cellular":[19],"force":[20,33,43,58,148],"matrix":[22],"mechanical":[23],"state":[24],"is":[25],"poorly":[26],"defined.":[27],"Here":[28],"we":[29],"use":[30],"a":[31,90,138,159,165],"microfabricated":[32],"sensor":[34],"integrated":[35],"with":[36,132],"3D":[37],"CAF-collagen":[38],"tissue":[39],"to":[40],"measure":[41],"CAF-generated":[42],"collagen":[45,62,94],"stiffness":[46,63,173],"continuously":[47],"during":[48,150],"pharmacological":[49],"perturbation.":[50],"ROCK":[51,110],"or":[52],"non-muscle":[53],"myosin":[54],"II":[55],"inhibition":[56],"reduced":[57],"remarkably":[60],"drove":[61],"below":[64],"its":[65],"initial":[66],"value":[67],"rather":[68],"than":[69],"merely":[70],"arresting":[71],"stiffening.":[72],"This":[73],"softening":[74],"was":[75],"prevented":[76],"broad-spectrum":[78],"MMP":[79],"inhibition,":[80,88,111,131],"but":[81],"only":[82],"modestly":[83],"altered":[84],"lysyl":[86],"oxidase":[87],"supporting":[89],"competition":[91],"force-driven":[93],"compaction":[95],"proteolytic":[97],"remodeling.":[98],"Second-harmonic":[99],"generation":[100],"imaging":[101],"showed":[102],"shorter,":[103],"thinner":[104],"less":[106],"aligned":[107],"fibers":[108],"after":[109,115,135],"while":[112],"fluorescence":[113],"recovery":[114,134,149],"photobleaching":[116],"indicated":[117],"faster":[118],"dextran":[119],"transport.":[120,175],"Moreover,":[121],"CAF":[122],"contractile":[123],"adaptation":[124],"depended":[125],"strongly":[126],"on":[127],"duration":[129],"of":[130],"reversible":[133],"brief":[136],"treatment,":[137],"hyper-contractile":[139],"rebound":[140],"following":[141],"prolonged":[142],"treatment":[143],"washout,":[145],"partial":[147],"continuous":[151],"exposure.":[152],"These":[153],"findings":[154],"identify":[155],"CAF-matrix":[156],"mechanics":[157],"as":[158],"dynamic,":[160],"treatment-history-dependent":[161],"balance":[162],"provide":[164],"framework":[166],"for":[167],"designing":[168],"stromal":[169],"interventions":[170],"that":[171],"alter":[172]},"counts_by_year":[],"updated_date":"2026-10-28T10:33:24.094632","created_date":"2026-09-26T00:00:00"}