mechanotransductioncells

Mechanotransduction cells are cells that sense mechanical cues from their environment and convert them into biochemical signals. The term describes a broad capability shared by many cell types, including osteocytes, endothelial cells, smooth muscle cells, fibroblasts, and various stem cells. Mechanical stimuli such as fluid shear, cyclic stretch, compression, and substrate stiffness are interpreted by specialized structures that act as mechanosensors.

Key mechanosensors include integrin-based focal adhesions, cadherin junctions, stretch-activated ion channels (such as Piezo1/2 and certain TRP channels), primary cilia, and components of the cytoskeleton that transmit forces to the cell interior. The resulting signals activate intracellular pathways such as MAPK/ERK, RhoA/ROCK, and YAP/TAZ, as well as calcium signaling, leading to changes in gene expression, cytoskeletal organization, and cell behavior. The nucleus can also respond to mechanical inputs through chromatin remodeling and transcriptional regulation, linking external forces to genomic responses.

Functional outcomes are context dependent. In bone, osteocytes sense fluid flow to regulate remodeling; endothelial cells respond to shear stress to modulate vascular tone and inflammatory responses; stem cells may differentiate according to the stiffness of their substrate, a principle used in tissue engineering. Dysregulated mechanotransduction is associated with osteoporosis, hypertension, fibrosis, cancer progression, and aging. Researchers study mechanotransduction with tools such as traction force microscopy, atomic force microscopy, and microfluidic systems, aiming to understand normal physiology and to develop mechanobiology–based therapies.