Traction force microscopy (TFM) has emerged as a versatile technique for the measurement of single-cell-generated forces. TFM has gained wide use among mechanobiology laboratories, and several variants of the original methodology have been proposed. However, issues related to the experimental setup and, most importantly, data analysis of cell traction datasets may restrain the adoption of TFM by a wider community. In this review, we summarize the state of the art in TFM-related research, with a focus on the analytical methods underlying data analysis. We aim to provide the reader with a friendly compendium underlying the potential of TFM and emphasizing the methodological framework required for a thorough understanding of experimental data. We also compile a list of data analytics tools freely available to the scientific community for the furtherance of knowledge on this powerful technique.

Center for Translational Medicine St Anne's University Hospital Brno Czechia

Department of Engineering Università Campus Bio Medico di Roma Rome Italy; Institute of Nanotechnology National Research Council Lecce Italy

Department of Engineering Università degli Studi Roma Tre Rome Italy

Department of Engineering Università degli Studi Roma Tre Rome Italy; Department of Engineering Università Campus Bio Medico di Roma Rome Italy

Institute of Nanotechnology National Research Council Lecce Italy; Division of Neuroscience Institute of Experimental Neurology San Raffaele Scientific Institute Milan Italy

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