Science

Study finds T cells sense tissue stiffness, shaping memory cell development

ScienceDaily reports McGill University researchers found T cells sense tissue stiffness and use it to guide memory cell development.

Updated Oct 28, 2026 · 06:25 UTC1 reports

The short version

McGill University researchers report that T cells can sense how stiff surrounding tissues are.[ScienceDaily]
Those physical signals help determine whether T cells develop into long-lasting memory cells that protect against infection.[ScienceDaily]
Researchers tested human and mouse immune cells in collagen gels engineered to mimic different tissue stiffness levels.[ScienceDaily]
Lead author Judith Mandl called the finding fundamental and said it challenges how immune cells are viewed.[ScienceDaily]

McGill University scientists found that T cells can sense how stiff their surrounding tissues are.[ScienceDaily]
T cells use these physical signals to help determine whether they develop into long-lasting memory cells.[ScienceDaily]
Researchers placed human and mouse immune cells in collagen gels designed to mimic tissues of different stiffness.[ScienceDaily]

The findings are reported by only one outlet, ScienceDaily, and are not independently confirmed in the provided reporting.[ScienceDaily]
The provided reporting does not establish how the findings apply to disease treatment.[ScienceDaily]

Outlet counts describe coverage, not independent confirmation. Reports may share a wire service or original source.