Table 2.

Immediate responses of signalling molecules in fibroblasts to stretch

Response	Main findings	Cell type	Coating and plate	Stretch machine	Stretch pattern	Stretch duration	Serum	Reference
Immediate early gene activation	Quick and transient phosphorylation of c-fos	NRVF	Collagen-coated silicone membrane	Homemade stretch device	20% uniaxial	24 h	Serum-free	Sadoshima et al., (1992)132
	ERK2 and JNK1 activated by stretch in matrix-dependent manner. Stretch-conditioned medium also activated	ARVF	Collagen, laminin, vitronectin, and fibronectin	Modified from Lee et al., 1996131	4% static equibiaxial	1, 5, 10 min	NS	MacKenna et al., (1998)55
	G-proteins activated by 1 min of stretch, several GTP-binding response depending on stretch pattern	Adult male RCF	Collagen I-coated silicone elastic membrane	Modified from Lee et al., 1996131	5-s, 10-s, or 60-s stretch, 3% or 6% equibiaxial	5–60 s	10% FBS	Gudi et al., (1998)106
	C-fos and fra-1 mRNA increased. C-Jun mRNA unchanged	NRVF	Collagen I-coated flexible plate	Flexercell	15% biaxial static stretch	0–60 min	Serum-free	Van Wamel et al., (2000)93
	P38-phosphorylation increased	ARVF	Collagen I, plasma fibronectin, or fibronectin ED-A domain peptide-coated magnetite beads	Ceramic permanent magnet	Static force perpendicular to cell surface	15 min to 8 h	Serum-free	Wang et al., (2000)112
	ERK and p38 phosphorylation increased	NRVF	Collagen I-coated magnetite beads	Ceramic permanent magnet	Static force perpendicular to cell surface	0.5, 1, 2, and 4 h	Serum-free	Wang et al., (2003)68
	MAPK activated in time-dependent and coating-dependent manner; greater and faster on collagen and charged membrane	Neonatal RCF	Fibronectin-, laminin-, collagen-coated; uncoated charged silicone elastic membrane	Modified from Yost et al., 2000101	0.08 Hz, 5% uniaxial	1, 5, and 10 min	10% NBS + 5% FBS	Atance et al., (2004)86
	ERK1/2 and p38 phosphorylation increased	Foetal RCF	Elastin-coated Flex-I plate	Flexercell FX-3000	1.5 Hz, 20%	From 10 min to 24 h	10% FBS	Papakrivopoulou et al., (2004)105
	Rapid and transient phosphorylation of JNK. Long-term stable phosphorylation of p38 (4–24 h). p38α increased angiotensinogen expression; JNK1/2 phosphorylation decreased it	NRVF	Collagen IV-coated BioFlex plate	Flexercell FX-3000	20% equiaxial static stretch	2–30 min and 1–24 h	Serum-free	Lal et al., (2008)115
	Stretch activated Rac1 and RhoA within 5 min. Rac1 activity returned to control after 4 h; RhoA remained high throughout 24 h of stretch. Rac1 inhibited angiotensin expression through JNK-dependent and independent mechanisms; RhoA stimulated it through p38-dependent mechanism	NRVF	Collagen IV-coated BioFlex plate	Flexercell FX-3000	20% equiaxial static stretch	From 2 min to 24 h	Serum-free	Verma et al., (2011)116

ARVF, adult rat ventricular fibroblasts; ERK, extracellular signal-regulated kinase; FBS, foetal bovine serum; JNK, c-Jun N-terminal kinase; MAPK, mitogen-activated protein kinase; NBS, newborn bovine serum; NRVF, neonatal rat ventricular fibroblasts; NS, not stated; p38,  p38 mitogen-activated protein kinase; Rac1, Ras-related C3 botulinum-toxin substrate-1; RCF, rat cardiac fibroblasts; RhoA, Ras homolog family member A.