Fig. 2
From: Mechanical forces in the tumor microenvironment: roles, pathways, and therapeutic approaches
Physical properties of the ECM. The ECM exhibits key physical characteristics, including stiffness, shear stress, and solid stress. Stiffness arises from an increase in fibrillar protein content and cross-linking in the ECM. Shear stress results from plasma leakage due to abnormal tumor vasculature and tumor-induced vascular compression. Solid stress originates from the excessive growth of tumor cells and surrounding tissues. These mechanical properties of the ECM contribute to metabolic reprogramming in tumor cells, influence macrophage polarization, and facilitate tumor invasion