Fig. 2.

Flowchart depicting the simulation steps. Blue arrow indicates the cross-talk between cell contractility and ECM remodeling. (A) DFN simulations predict fiber density (ϕ_f) as a function of cell contraction stress (σ) and fiber recruitment index (n). The prediction about fiber density is implemented in the coarse-grained FA model (B) to estimate the effective FA–ECM modulus ($E_{\text{FA}}^{\ast }$ ), which is used to evaluate the level of the contractile force (σ) using a chemomechanical feedback model for the actomyosin system (C; see Supporting Information for details). (D) Finally, all of the insights are combined to study the evolution dynamics of FA (in terms of its growth rate J) and give its equilibrium size.