Fig. 3

Specific mechanosensitive structures. a Focal adhesions. Focal adhesions connect ECM mechanical signals to the cytoskeleton, affecting cytoskeletal arrangement and crosslinking. b Cilium. Cilia usually coordinate with the Hedgehog (Hh) signaling pathway to transmit mechanical signals. c GPCRs. GPCRs containing a C-terminal helix 8 can sense mechanical stimuli. Activation of the GPCR initiates a series of signal transductions, including the Rho-Rock and PLC-IP3 pathways. d Ion channels. Activation of ion channels by mechanical stimuli elicits specific ion flow, especially calcium influx, to modulate downstream signaling pathways.