Figure 2.

The mechanical transduction pathway network plays a role in stiffness‐mediated EMT by regulating target genes. The TGFβ family activates downstream pathways through the TβR to promote EMT. Through mechanical transduction pathways, ECM stiffness activates different downstream molecules and then regulates the activation of EMT‐TF, which controls the downstream gene transcription such as upregulating mesenchymal markers, elevating cell membrane receptor expression, and downregulating epithelial markers. The dotted line indicates that there is a relationship in upregulation, but the direct action needs further confirmation.