Chapter 5 - Tissue mechanotransduction

Abstract

Although individual cells are usually referenced during the process of mechanotransduction, physiological functions of tissues and organs become important on the macroscale. Here, tissue mechanotransduction where mechanical stimulus is applied to a tissue is discussed, and the ramifications of tissue response to the applied mechanical signal are explained. The characteristics of the signal and the roles of structural and secretory factors are described. The mechanisms of mechanotransduction in four specific and commonly studied systems such as the musculoskeletal, pulmonary, cardiovascular, and nervous systems are discussed in detail while keeping the emphasis mostly at the tissue level. A brief description of the physiological functions of each specific tissue is provided to bear in mind the coordinated response of a group of cells in tissue mechanotransduction. A cell-response map, which is a concept diagram indicating conditions of cell response under mechanical stimulus, is introduced.