Figure 1From: Shear-induced endothelial mechanotransduction: the interplay between reactive oxygen species (ROS) and nitric oxide (NO) and the pathophysiological implicationsHemodynamic forces acting on the blood vessel wall and the potential sensors initiating mechanotransduction. (A) Hemodynamic forces experienced by the blood vessel wall including: 1) shear stress, which is the tangential frictional force acting on the vessel wall due to blood flow, defined as force/wall area (e.g., dyn/cm2); 2) normal stress, which is the force acting perpendicularly on the vessel wall due to hydrostatic pressure; and 3) tensile stress, which is the force acting on the vessel wall in the circumferential direction due to stretch of the vessel wall. (B) Potential mechano-sensors likely to initiate mechanotransduction in endothelial cells, including G protein-coupled receptor (GPCR), mechano-activated ion channels, growth factor receptor, glycocalyx, caveolae, membrane lipids (fluidity), junction proteins, cytoskeleton network, integrins, focal adhesion kinase (FAK), etc. [5]. In mechanotransduction process the mechanical signals trigger the perturbation of these mechano-sensors, thus generating biochemical signals and initiating mechano-sensitive signaling cascades that lead to downstream gene expression.Back to article page