FIGURE 9:

Model of mechanotransduction. Mechanical stress induces three separable responses: stress fiber reorientation, stress fiber reinforcement, and MAPK signaling. Our data support the notion that Rho kinase signaling contributes to SF reorientation, that zyxin, α-actinin, and Ena/VASP proteins contribute to SF reinforcement, and that p130Cas, Rap1, and MAPK signaling form the third response to mechanical stress applied by uniaxial cyclic stretch.