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Figure 1 | Journal of Biomedical Science

Figure 1

From: Shear-induced endothelial mechanotransduction: the interplay between reactive oxygen species (ROS) and nitric oxide (NO) and the pathophysiological implications

Figure 1

Hemodynamic 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.

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