There is also a strong mechanical basis for many generalized medical disabilities, such as lower back pain, foot and postural injury, deformity, and irritable bowel syndrome.
Fibroblasts synthesize structural proteins, some of which are mechanosensitive and form integral part of the extracellular Matrix (ECM) e. g collagen types I, III, IV, V VI, elastin, lamin etc.
[8] Examples of effect of mechanical responses in the nucleus involve: The embryo is formed by self-assembly through which cells differentiate into tissues performing specialized functions.
[11] The spindle positioning within symmetrically and asymmetrically dividing cells in the early embryo is controlled by mechanical forces mediated by microtubules and actin microfilament system.
[12] Local variation in physical forces and mechanical cues such as stiffness of the ECM also control the expression of genes that give rise to the embryonic developmental process of blastulation.
This cell fate switching is regulated by the mechanosensitive hippo pathway[13] The effectiveness of many of the mechanical therapies already in clinical use shows how important physical forces can be in physiological control.
[15] Known contributors to cellular mechanotransduction are a growing list and include stretch-activated ion channels, caveolae, integrins, cadherins, growth factor receptors, myosin motors, cytoskeletal filaments, nuclei, extracellular matrix, and numerous other signaling molecules.