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When traction forces are generated in the cells underlying extracellular matrix (ECM) including artificial scaffolds, the cells feel essentially stiffness of the surrounding microenvironment and respond to applied forces and exert forces in the matrix, in which the traction forces can change cellular morphology and cytoskeletal structure. To date, analysis of cell morphology, including quantitative measurements such as cytoplasm roundness, cytoplasm elongation factor, nuclear elongation factor, ratio nuclear area to cytoplasm area ratio (A_N/A_C), nuclear dimension, and nuclear height, has been widely used in cancer diagnostics and hematology. Increasing evidence suggests that the extracted morphological features such as cell area and the length of major and minor axes, could also be used to analyze the dynamic changes of cells in diseases of the nervous system and cellular stress related phenomena. Furthermore, multivariate analyses of morphological data suggest that quantitative cytology may be a useful adjunct to conventional tests for the selection of new substances.

Thus, understanding the interaction between microenvironment and cancer cells via cellular morphology is critical subject to tackle metastatic spread of cancer cells and its many associated issues. In this topic, the cellular morphological parameters and functional characteristics of cancer cells are summarized.