title: Mechanotransduction: the role of mechanical stress, myocyte shape, and cytoskeletal architecture on cardiac function.
abstract: Mechanotransduction refers to the conversion of mechanical forces into biochemical or electrical signals that initiate structural and functional remodeling in cells and tissues. The heart is a kinetic organ whose form changes considerably during development and disease, requiring cardiac myocytes to be mechanically durable and capable of fusing a variety of environmental signals on different time scales. During physiological growth, myocytes adaptively remodel to mechanical loads. Pathological stimuli can induce maladaptive remodeling. In both of these conditions, the cytoskeleton plays a pivotal role in both sensing mechanical stress and mediating structural remodeling and functional responses within the myocyte.
authors.affiliation: Disease Biophysics Group, Wyss Institute for Biologically Inspired Engineering, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA, USA.
authors.forename: Megan L
authors.initials: ML
authors.lastname: McCain
authors.forename: Kevin Kit
authors.initials: KK
authors.lastname: Parker
mesh_terms: D015820:Cadherins / Q000378:metabolism; D003599:Cytoskeleton / Q000378:metabolism / Q000648:ultrastructure*; D004548:Elasticity; D005109:Extracellular Matrix / Q000737:chemistry / Q000378:metabolism; D006321:Heart / Q000502:physiology*; D006439:Hemodynamics; D016023:Integrins / Q000378:metabolism; D008465:Mechanoreceptors / Q000378:metabolism; D040542:Mechanotransduction, Cellular / Q000502:physiology*; D008870:Microtubules / Q000378:metabolism; D009124:Muscle Proteins / Q000378:metabolism; D032383:Myocytes, Cardiac / Q000166:cytology* / Q000502:physiology*; D013314:Stress, Mechanical
chemical_list: D015820:Cadherins; D016023:Integrins; D009124:Muscle Proteins