Silica ‘Armor’ Increases Cell Strength 2.5-Fold and Lasts Through Two Generations

Low-temperature silicification increased the mechanical strength of mammalian cells 2.5-fold and enhanced their resistance to environmental stress. The process opens cell membranes through low-temperature dormancy, allowing silica precursors to enter the cells, where protein-mediated condensation forms a silicon dioxide network. This nongenetic strengthening effect persists through two to three rounds of cell division and could be applied to immune cells, raising expectations for its use as a cell-engineering tool.