A cell’s nucleus is usually anchored inside a protective web of protein fibers. Researchers have discovered that epithelial cells respond to prolonged strain by rebuilding their internal skeleton across entire groups of cells. How Epithelial Tissues Withstand StrainThe study, led by the Institute for Bioengineering of Catalonia (IBEC) and published in Nature Physics, examined epithelial tissue. Because epithelial cells are tightly connected, they must endure physical stress as a coordinated sheet rather than as isolated cells. We also think that the mechanisms we uncovered could be relevant to diseases in which the keratin network is altered.”