{"abstract":[{"text":"Understanding complex living systems, which are fundamentally constrained by physical phenomena, requires combining experimental data with theoretical physical and mathematical models. To develop such models, collaborations between experimental cell biologists and theoreticians are increasingly important but these two groups often face challenges achieving mutual understanding. To help navigate these challenges, this Perspective discusses different modelling approaches, including bottom-up hypothesis-driven and top-down data-driven models, and highlights their strengths and applications. Using cell mechanics as an example, we explore the integration of specific physical models with experimental data from the molecular, cellular and tissue level up to multiscale input. We also emphasize the importance of constraining model complexity and outline strategies for crosstalk between experimental design and model development. Furthermore, we highlight how physical models can provide conceptual insights and produce unifying and generalizable frameworks for biological phenomena. Overall, this Perspective aims to promote fruitful collaborations that advance our understanding of complex biological systems.","lang":"eng"}],"status":"public","article_type":"original","author":[{"orcid":"0000-0001-5130-2226","last_name":"Schwayer","full_name":"Schwayer, Cornelia","first_name":"Cornelia","id":"3436488C-F248-11E8-B48F-1D18A9856A87"},{"last_name":"Brückner","full_name":"Brückner, David","first_name":"David","id":"e1e86031-6537-11eb-953a-f7ab92be508d","orcid":"0000-0001-7205-2975"}],"month":"12","publication_identifier":{"eissn":["1477-9137"],"issn":["0021-9533"]},"language":[{"iso":"eng"}],"doi":"10.1242/jcs.261515","department":[{"_id":"EdHa"},{"_id":"CaHe"}],"type":"journal_article","pmid":1,"year":"2023","title":"Connecting theory and experiment in cell and tissue mechanics","citation":{"ama":"Schwayer C, Brückner D. Connecting theory and experiment in cell and tissue mechanics. <i>Journal of Cell Science</i>. 2023;136(24). doi:<a href=\"https://doi.org/10.1242/jcs.261515\">10.1242/jcs.261515</a>","ista":"Schwayer C, Brückner D. 2023. Connecting theory and experiment in cell and tissue mechanics. Journal of Cell Science. 136(24), jcs. 261515.","ieee":"C. Schwayer and D. Brückner, “Connecting theory and experiment in cell and tissue mechanics,” <i>Journal of Cell Science</i>, vol. 136, no. 24. The Company of Biologists, 2023.","chicago":"Schwayer, Cornelia, and David Brückner. “Connecting Theory and Experiment in Cell and Tissue Mechanics.” <i>Journal of Cell Science</i>. The Company of Biologists, 2023. <a href=\"https://doi.org/10.1242/jcs.261515\">https://doi.org/10.1242/jcs.261515</a>.","apa":"Schwayer, C., &#38; Brückner, D. (2023). Connecting theory and experiment in cell and tissue mechanics. <i>Journal of Cell Science</i>. The Company of Biologists. <a href=\"https://doi.org/10.1242/jcs.261515\">https://doi.org/10.1242/jcs.261515</a>","mla":"Schwayer, Cornelia, and David Brückner. “Connecting Theory and Experiment in Cell and Tissue Mechanics.” <i>Journal of Cell Science</i>, vol. 136, no. 24, jcs. 261515, The Company of Biologists, 2023, doi:<a href=\"https://doi.org/10.1242/jcs.261515\">10.1242/jcs.261515</a>.","short":"C. Schwayer, D. Brückner, Journal of Cell Science 136 (2023)."},"project":[{"name":"A mechano-chemical theory for stem cell fate decisions in organoid development","_id":"34e2a5b5-11ca-11ed-8bc3-b2265616ef0b","grant_number":"343-2022"}],"issue":"24","external_id":{"pmid":["38149871"]},"article_number":"jcs.261515","intvolume":"       136","scopus_import":"1","publisher":"The Company of Biologists","_id":"14827","acknowledgement":"We thank Prisca Liberali and Edouard Hannezo for many inspiring discussions; Mehmet Can Uçar, Nicoletta I Petridou and Qiutan Yang for a critical reading of the manuscript, and Claudia Flandoli for the artwork in Figs 2 and 3. We would also like to thank The Company of Biologists for the opportunity to attend the 2023 workshop on Collective Cell Migration, and all workshop participants for discussions.\r\nC.S. was supported by a European Molecular Biology Organization (EMBO) Postdoctoral Fellowship (ALTF 660-2020) and Human Frontier Science Program (HFSP) Postdoctoral fellowship (LT000746/2021-L). D.B.B. was supported by the NOMIS Foundation as a NOMIS Fellow and by an EMBO Postdoctoral Fellowship (ALTF 343-2022).","publication_status":"published","volume":136,"day":"27","quality_controlled":"1","user_id":"2DF688A6-F248-11E8-B48F-1D18A9856A87","date_created":"2024-01-17T12:46:55Z","article_processing_charge":"No","date_updated":"2024-01-22T13:35:48Z","keyword":["Cell Biology"],"publication":"Journal of Cell Science","oa_version":"None","date_published":"2023-12-27T00:00:00Z"}