Responses of Cells to Adhesion-Mediated Signals: A Universal Mechanism

Cells are exposed to a plethora of signals that typically coerce them to function properly, but aberrant signaling can lead to pathological conditions. In the treatment of diseases and the rational design of functioning tissues, it is vital to understand and be able to manipulate these inputs. In the past, much of the interest has been on chemical signaling but recently, there has been an explosion of research into a diverse array of mechanical signals. Mechanical signals have been shown to influence cellular growth, survival, migration, and differentiation. Despite its obvious importance, relatively little is known about the mechanism of mechanosensing. In this chapter, we describe what is currently known about potential mechanosensing molecules and then describe a model by which a wide array of mechanical signals can be interpreted by a common mechanism. By understanding this mechanism, one may be able to develop new therapeutic interventions for devastating diseases such as cancer and break through critical barriers facing the field of tissue engineering. We expect the knowledge gained from the study of basic biology to greatly impact the treatment of many patients in the clinical setting in the coming years.