Fig. 1
From: Targeting extracellular matrix stiffness and mechanotransducers to improve cancer therapy
The regulation of ECM stiffness by tumor and stromal cells. Hypoxia or growth factors such as TGFβ can induce the expression of collagen/elastin cross-linking factors in tumor and stromal cells, leading to increased ECM stiffness. ECM stiffening reciprocally acts on tumor and stromal cells thereby generating a vicious cycling. M∅, macrophage; CAF, cancer-associated fibroblast; MSC, mesenchymal stem cell