Tissue remodeling is a dynamic process that can be studied in vivo, ex vivo, or in vitro and represents a hallmark of numerous diseases, including cardiovascular, degenerative, aging-related, and neuromuscular disorders. Over the past decade, advances in biomaterials and the use of progenitor, mesenchymal, and pluripotent stem cells have greatly enhanced our ability to investigate cell commitment and fate decisions across diverse disease models. These cells can differentiate into multiple lineages in response to a variety of cues, ranging from chemical and pharmacological signals to biomechanical stimuli such as substrate stiffness, surface topography, matrix composition, and media viscosity.

This collection aims to highlight innovative in vitro assays and techniques that enable the evaluation of biomechanical influences on cell differentiation and function. We welcome studies that assess cellular mechanical properties (e.g., stiffness, traction, viscoelasticity), explore biomaterial applications, and examine cell–cell and cell–extracellular matrix (ECM) interactions, as well as key mechanosensing processes (e.g., focal adhesions, integrins, cytoskeletal dynamics). By promoting standardized and reproducible methods, this collection seeks to advance our understanding of mechanobiology and its role in tissue remodeling and disease progression.