Fig. 1.

Packed microgels provide a mechanically tuneable environment for methodical studies of collective cell mechanics in 3D. a Analogous to externally applied loads in classical beam mechanics, internal forces generated by contracting cells drive the undulation of microbeams made from ECM. b Fabricating cell–ECM microbeams is performed by 3D printing into a cell culture medium made from jammed microgels. This soft environment provides mechanical support to extremely delicate beams while simultaneously facilitating macroscale deformations driven by cell contraction. c We systematically investigate cell-driven mechanical behaviors by varying the properties of ECM microbeams and the surrounding microgel medium over the ranges given here