{"paper_id":"1068bbd5-2c26-4501-a504-7985dee3bbec","body_text":"Abstract\nQuantitative measurements of cell-generated forces in fibrillar hydrogels have traditionally modeled the extracellular matrix as a continuum. Here we present a data-driven 3D traction force microscopy (DD-TFM) approach that reconstructs discrete collagen fiber networks from second-harmonic generation images and assigns fiber mechanics calibrated by shear rheology. In silico tests confirm the robustness of an inverse force-recovery method, and application to cells in collagen reveals pulling patterns and fiber-level stress distributions.\nCompeting Interest Statement\nThe authors have declared no competing interest.\nFootnotes\n↵ζ Joint senior authorship\nFunder Information Declared\nResearch Foundation - Flanders, https://ror.org/03qtxy027, 1259223N\nConvergence programme syn-cells for health\nCopyright\nThe copyright holder for this preprint is the author/funder, who has granted bioRxiv a license to display the preprint in perpetuity. It is made available under a CC-BY 4.0 International license.","source_license":"CC-BY-4.0","license_restricted":false}