Biomaterials approaches to modeling macrophage-extracellular matrix interactions in the tumor microenvironment

- Macrophagic inflammation and fibrosis synergistically prime the microenvironment for cancer.
- Fibrosis changes ECM physicochemical properties, which alters macrophage mechanosignaling.
- Biomaterials can mimic fibrosis-associated differences in ECM physicochemical properties.
- Tissue-engineered models permit testing the role of fibrosis in macrophage functions.