Nanoparticles (NPs) are commonly used in healthcare and nanotherapy, but their toxicity at high concentrations is well-known. Recent research has shown that NPs can also cause toxicity at low concentrations, disrupting various cellular functions and leading to altered mechanobiological behavior. While researchers have used different methods to investigate the effects of NPs on cells, including gene expression and cell adhesion assays, the use of mechanobiological tools in this context has been underutilized. This review emphasizes the importance of further exploring the mechanobiological effects of NPs, which could reveal valuable insights into the mechanisms behind NP toxicity. To investigate these effects, different methods, including the use of polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) pillars to study cell motility, traction force production, and rigidity sensing contractions, have been employed. Understanding how NPs affect cell cytoskeletal functions through mechanobiology could have significant implications, such as developing innovative drug delivery systems and tissue engineering techniques, and could improve the safety of NPs for biomedical applications. In summary, this review highlights the significance of incorporating mechanobiology into the study of NP toxicity and demonstrates the potential of this interdisciplinary field to advance our knowledge and practical use of NPs.
Keywords: mechanobiology; nanoparticle; nanotoxicity; rigidity sensing; traction force.