In the complex tumor microenvironment, chemical and mechanical signals from tumor cells, stromal cells, and the surrounding\nextracellular matrix influence all aspects of disease progression and response to treatment. Modeling the physical properties of the\ntumor microenvironment has been a significant effort in the biomaterials field. One challenge has been the difficulty in altering the\nmechanical properties of the extracellular matrix without simultaneously impacting other factors that influence cell behavior. The\ndevelopment of novel materials based on nanotechnology has enabled recent innovations in tumor cell culture models. Here, we\nreview the various approaches by which the tumor cell microenvironment has been engineered using natural and synthetic gels.\nWe describe new studies that rely on the unique temporal and spatial control afforded by nanomaterials to produce culture\nplatforms that mimic dynamic changes in tumor matrix mechanics. In addition, we look at the frontier of nanomaterial-hydrogel\ncomposites to review new approaches for perturbation of mechanochemical control in the tumor micro environment.
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