Acoustic control of biophysical environments: From single-cell mechanics to tissue engineering

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Mechanical forces regulate cell behavior across scales. Acoustic fields can be externally applied to exert forces on cells and drive fluid motion. By controlling these forces and flows spatiotemporally, acoustic fields precisely deliver the mechanical cues that govern cellular mechanosensing and downstream responses in tissue engineering. This review outlines the physical basis of acoustic radiation forces and acoustic streaming and their implementation in platforms including surface acoustic wave devices, bulk acoustic resonators, microfluidic systems, and acoustic transducer arrays. We examine how these systems interact with cells and tissues across single-cell mechanics, multicellular assembly, and tissue-level organization. We also discuss emerging applications in biofabrication, where acoustic actuation enables spatial patterning and cell assembly. Finally, we highlight key barriers to standardizing acoustic platforms, including defining acoustic exposure in terms relevant to cell behavior, improving field stability and reproducibility, and updating acoustic inputs based on measured cell responses in real time.