MECHANICAL ACTIVATION OF SIGNALING PATHWAYS IN THE CARDIOVASCULAR-SYSTEM

Mechanical forces ave constantly exerting stress upon the tissues and cells of the cardiovascular system. To influence the biology of cells, these stimuli, which exist in the physical domain, must be converted into signals in the biochemical language of the cells. This process ha s been referred to as mechano-chemical signal transduction, or mechano transduction. Although a great deal is known about which aspects of ca rdiovascular biology are influenced or dictated by physical forces, a great deal of uncertainty exists about which of the many signaling pat hways that respond in cardiovascular cells to mechanical stimuli speci fically regulate mechanosensitive aspects of the ''cardiovascular phen otype.'' Even less is known regarding the identity and function of str uctures and catalysts that operate at the physical-biochemical interfa ce and act to convert physical energy into signals of biological relev ance. This article presents what is known regarding signaling pathways in cells of the cardiovascular system, which have been shown empirica lly to respond to mechanical stimuli, and what can be inferred from bi ochemical and pharmacological studies in cultured cardiovascular cells regarding the potential for certain, signaling pathways to be involve d in the manifestation of mechanically responsive phenotypes in the ca rdiovascular system.