title: Mechanisms of mechanotransduction.
abstract: Essentially all organisms from bacteria to humans are mechanosensitive. Physical forces regulate a large array of physiological processes, and dysregulation of mechanical responses contributes to major human diseases. A survey of both specialized and widely expressed mechanosensitive systems suggests that physical forces provide a general means of altering protein conformation to generate signals. Specialized systems differ mainly in having acquired efficient mechanisms for transferring forces to the mechanotransducers.
authors.affiliation: Cardiovascular Research Center, University of Virginia, 415 Lane Road, Charlottesville, Virginia 22908, USA.
authors.forename: A Wayne
authors.initials: AW
authors.lastname: Orr
authors.forename: Brian P
authors.initials: BP
authors.lastname: Helmke
authors.forename: Brett R
authors.initials: BR
authors.lastname: Blackman
authors.forename: Martin A
authors.initials: MA
authors.lastname: Schwartz
mesh_terms: D000222:Adaptation, Physiological / Q000502:physiology*; D000818:Animals; D002453:Cell Cycle / Q000502:physiology; D006801:Humans; D006973:Hypertension / Q000473:pathology / Q000503:physiopathology; D008168:Lung / Q000502:physiology; D040542:Mechanotransduction, Cellular / Q000502:physiology*; D008954:Models, Biological; D009131:Muscle, Smooth, Vascular / Q000503:physiopathology; D009206:Myocardium; D009369:Neoplasms / Q000503:physiopathology; D010812:Physical Stimulation; D017434:Protein Structure, Tertiary / Q000502:physiology; D015398:Signal Transduction / Q000502:physiology*; D013314:Stress, Mechanical