Figure 4.

Stretch-regulated secretion of myotubes. When myotubes were stimulated by mechanical stretch, various kinds of cytokines were released out of myotubes and exerted distinct functions. Some of these cytokines acted in an autocrine fashion, regulating glucose uptake, protein synthesis, and cytoskeletal adaption of myotubes in response to mechanical stretch. In addition, there were other cytokines that were involved in cross-talk of stretched myotubes with other types of cells, such as neutrophil, motoneurons, osteoclasts, and endothelial cells.