1. Variations in tissue stiffness.
Variations in tissue stiffness. The biomechanical properties of a tissue in terms of stiffness (elastic modulus), measured in pascals (Pa), vary markedly between organs and tissues, and are inherently related to tissue function. Mechanically static tissues such as brain or compliant tissues such as lung exhibit low stiffness, whereas tissues exposed to high mechanical loading, such as bone or skeletal muscle, exhibit elastic moduli with a stiffness that is several orders of magnitude greater. Tumorigenesis is typically associated with an increase in matrix and tissue stiffness, as in breast cancer. Adapted, with permission, from Butcher et al. (Butcher et al., 2009).
Thomas R. Cox, and Janine T. Erler Dis. Model. Mech. 2011;4:
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