%0 Journal Article
%T Stress balls for the brain: How beading protects axons from mechanical damage.
%A Leterrier C
%J J Cell Biol
%V 223
%N 8
%D 2024 Aug 5
%M 38985206
%F 8.077
%R 10.1083/jcb.202407024
%X The slender shape of axons makes them uniquely susceptible to mechanical stress. In this issue, Pan, Hu et al. (https://doi.org/10.1083/jcb.202206046) use a microfluidic axon-on-chip device to reveal how actomyosin protects axons from mild mechanical stress, by transiently adopting a beaded shape that helps limit the spread of damaging calcium waves.