# Exploring the effects of extracellular fluid viscosity on cell migration and cancer metastasis

> **NIH NIH F31** · JOHNS HOPKINS UNIVERSITY · 2020 · $45,520

## Abstract

PROJECT SUMMARY
 Mechanical cues and the local physical environment play fundamental roles in a host of
cellular processes, ranging from stem cell differentiation to cell motility. While the significance of
the stiffness of the extracellular microenvironment has been well-studied, the role of others
physical factors, such as fluid viscosity and hydrostatic pressure, are less understood. The
viscosities of biological fluids span orders of magnitude, and due to lymph circulation, disease
development, and fluctuations in protein secretion, cells directly in contact with mucus,
extracellular fluid (ECF), and saliva are often subjected to variations in viscosity. Additionally,
abnormal ECF viscosity is associated with diseases such as cystic fibrosis, idiopathic pulmonary
fibrosis, and cancer. In the context of cancer, leaky vasculature and matrix degradation within
the tumor microenvironment lead to high local concentrations of plasma proteins and soluble
collagen that could increase ECF viscosity. Moreover, mucins, the large, heavily-glycosylated
extracellular proteins responsible for the high viscosity of mucus and saliva, are overexpressed
in many malignancies. Despite that higher mucus/ECF viscosity is observed in chronic lung
disease and cancer patients, it is not well studied, that how cells are further affected by the
altered viscosity, as well as how altered viscosity can additionally promote the disease
progression. A recent study revealed that counterintuitively cell migration speed increases in
mesenchymal-like cell lines, as the cells navigate the aquatic environment of higher viscosity. I
plan to characterize the effects of high viscosity in multiple cell types and cocultures that are
physiologically relevant, to identify the mechanisms behind the changes in cell motility and
cytoskeleton dynamics to elevated viscosity, and to build a quantitative model to predict the
effect of viscosity in cell migration, and to predict the effect of potential pharmaceutical
perturbations.

## Key facts

- **NIH application ID:** 10068095
- **Project number:** 1F31HL154709-01
- **Recipient organization:** JOHNS HOPKINS UNIVERSITY
- **Principal Investigator:** Matthew Pittman
- **Activity code:** F31 (R01, R21, SBIR, etc.)
- **Funding institute:** NIH
- **Fiscal year:** 2020
- **Award amount:** $45,520
- **Award type:** 1
- **Project period:** 2020-09-01 → 2024-08-31

## Primary source

NIH RePORTER: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/10068095

## Citation

> US National Institutes of Health, RePORTER application 10068095, Exploring the effects of extracellular fluid viscosity on cell migration and cancer metastasis (1F31HL154709-01). Retrieved via AI Analytics 2026-05-22 from https://api.ai-analytics.org/grant/nih/10068095. Licensed CC0.

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