FIGURE 1.

TAM and biophysical cues in the TME of HCC. As one of the key components in the TME of HCC, TAM contributes to the establishment of the immunosuppressive microenvironment by suppressing antitumor immune responses, promoting angiogenesis and proinflammatory response to facilitate tumor invasion and metastasis, as well as drug resistance. In parallel, biophysical properties of the TME, such as increased organized fiber arrangement, matrix protein crosslinking, compressive force, substrate stiffness, and fluid shear force, show the potential to regulate the features and functional significance of TAMs. The figure is created by BioRender.com. Abbreviations: TAM, tumor-associated macrophage; TME, tumor microenvironment.