ABSTRACT
In this chapter, we focus on the process of mechanotransduction, in other words the process by which a cell transduces a mechanical stimulus into a specific cellular response. In biology, cellular signal transduction is typically defined as the process by which a cell senses and responds to a chemical stimulus. For example, binding of a ligand to a cell receptor may lead to a conformational change in that receptor, triggering an intracellular signaling cascade that ultimately alters cellular function. Mechanotransduction can be viewed as a completely analogous process to chemical signal transduction in that application of mechanical forces may induce a conformational change in mechanosensing molecules that activate an intracellular signaling pathway, which leads to altered function. As discussed in Section 1.1, an incredibly diverse range of tissues and organs depend on the cellular sensation of extrinsic mechanical signals for proper development or function. Disruptions in this process have been implicated in contributing to the onset or progression of several critically important diseases.
