During the development of complicated multicellular organisms, the robust formation of specific cell-cell connections (cell matching) is required for the generation of precise tissue structures. Mismatches or misconnections can lead to various diseases. Diverse mechanical cues, including differential adhesion and temporally varying cell contractility, are involved in regulating the process of cell-cell recognition and contact formation. Cells often start the process of cell matching through contact via filopodia protrusions, mediated by specific adhesion interactions at the cell surface. These adhesion interactions give rise to differential mechanical signals that can be further perceived by the cells. In conjunction with contractions generated by the actomyosin networks within the cells, this differentially coded adhesion information can be translated to reposition and sort cells. Here, we review the role of these different cell matching components and suggest how these mechanical factors cooperate with each other to facilitate specificity in cell-cell contact formation.

在复杂的多细胞生物的发育过程中，需要牢固地形成特定的细胞间连接（细胞匹配）来生成精确的组织结构。不匹配或错误连接会导致各种疾病。不同的机械线索，包括不同的粘附和随时间变化的细胞收缩性，都参与调节细胞识别和接触形成的过程。细胞通常通过丝状伪足突起接触开始细胞匹配过程，由细胞表面的特定粘附相互作用介导。这些粘附相互作用产生了不同的机械信号，这些信号可以被细胞进一步感知。结合细胞内肌动球蛋白网络产生的收缩，这种差异编码的粘附信息可以转化为重新定位和分类细胞。在这里，我们回顾了这些不同的细胞匹配成分的作用，并提出了这些机械因素如何相互合作以促进细胞-细胞接触形成的特异性。