1. Integrating and converting biophysical signals.
Integrating and converting biophysical signals. Forces can drive stem cell responses using one or more of multiple mechanisms used to convert these forces into biochemical signals. These include: (A) actin-myosin contraction regulation; (B) focal adhesion (FA)-based signaling mechanisms; (C) force-sensitive transcription factor localization; (D) stretch-activated channels (SAC) causing ion flux changes; and (E) nuclear-associated protein signaling resulting from force transduction into the nucleus via SUN and emerin causing chromatin unfolding. In all cases, these mechanisms result in transcriptional changes, translational changes (not indicated) or protein activity changes in the cytoplasm (not indicated).
Aditya Kumar et al. Development 2017;144:
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