Mechanotransduction and arterial smooth muscle cells: new insight into hypertension and atherosclerosis

Vascular cells depend on multiple stimuli to maintain a biomechanically and biologically stable environment. Mechanical stresses contribute significan tly to multiple cellular processes that regulate vascular structure and fun ction. For example, fluid shear stresses control endothelial cell molecular responses. Less attention has focused ore responses of the smooth muscle c ell, the 'other' major vascular cell, to mechanical stimuli, in part becaus e of the experimental difficulties in applying precisely controlled deforma tion. With the advent of new bioengineered devices, combined with modern te chnologies for studying molecular expression, we are beginning to understan d how the smooth muscle cell responds to and controls the biomechanical env ironment. These studies will help us to understand vascular diseases where vascular mechanics plays a prominent role, such as hypertension, aneurysm f ormation and atherosclerotic plaque rupture.