Cellular mechano-memory informs biomaterials and mechano-medicine

Mechano-memory refers to the ability of cells to encode mechanical experiences as short- and long-term regulatory states that shape cellular behavior and tissue function. By influencing cell-fate decisions, immune responses, tissue regeneration, and disease evolution, mechano-memory serves as a foundational principle for biological research, a guiding framework for biomaterials and bioengineering design, and a key determinant of therapeutic performance. In clinical contexts, interventions that account for cellular mechanical memory provide a route toward more durable and personalized treatments by aligning engineered microenvironments with patient- and tissue-specific mechanical histories. In this review, we outline the biological basis of mechano-memory and summarize how engineered mechanical environments across multiple dimensional scales regulate its formation and persistence, highlighting translational opportunities and remaining challenges.