Figure 2.

Illustration of the relationships between extracellular matrix (ECM) composition and structure, mechano-electrochemical signals, and cell biosynthetic activities in temporomandibular joint (TMJ) disc. Mechanocoupling involves the conversion of applied physical forces at the tissue level into detectable physical signals at the cellular level. Mechanical loading induces various signals (e.g., deformation, pressure, electrical, and fluid, solute [e.g., nutrient], and ion flow fields). These signals influence biological activities of TMJ disc cells by acting independently or together.