Fig. 8

Schematic diagram indicating the role of ILK-refilin B/Smad3 axis in microenvironmental stiffness-mediated microtubule formation. Chondrocytes sense matrix stiffness and respond by altering the expression of interleukin ILK, a mechanically sensitive protein. ILK triggers changes in refilin B and the refilin B–Smad3 complex and regulates microtubule formation