Figure 1.

The mechanical cellular microenvironment. (a) Forces that modulate biological processes via mechanotransduction are indicated with bold text and key mechanical elements of the cell are labeled. Red arrows indicate solid forces while blue arrows indicate fluid forces and flows that activate mechanotransduction pathways. (b) The adherens junction complex modulates mechanotransduction at cell-cell junctions and shares constuients of the adaptor protein plaque with focal adhesions. (c) The focal adhesion complex transmits mechanical signals across the cell membrane and is a key site of mechanotransduction.