Physical properties of the complex extracellular microenvironments are integral to tissue homeostasis. Cells have evolved sophisticated systems to perceive both their native and artificial microenvironments, translate these stimuli into biochemical signals controlling various aspects of cell behaviors, with the consequent modulation in the physiological and pathophysiological processes of tissues and organs. Abnormal cell responses to mechanical forces promote pathologies associated with numerous human diseases. This is particularly important in the cardiovascular system. For example, fluid mechanical forces are critical for cardiac morphogenesis and intentionally disrupted hemodynamic conditions in animal models result in cardiac defects. Disturbance in blood flow in branches and curvatures of the arterial tree may induce atherogenic signaling, gene expression, and functions in vascular endothelial cells, which promotes the formation and progression of atherosclerosis. Thus, understanding the mechanotranuduction mechanisms and the development of innovative mechanobiology-based therapeutic strategies and their molecular targets are exciting future directions in the prevention and treatment of cardiovascular diseases.
Cells that have resided in the cardiovascular system are exposed to continuous, highly dynamic mechanical forces in the temporal- and spatial-dependent manner. These mechanical forces include fluid shear stress produced by blood flow and acting on the cells in a tangential manner, circumferential stretch caused by the blood flow and pressure-induced deformation of organs, changes in stiffness/elasticity, geometry and topology of the extracellular matrix, and etc. Not only the changes in intracellular signaling, gene expression, DNA/RNA/protein modifications, and cell phenotype and functions in response to mechanical forces, but also the mechanical properties of cells change accordingly. The integration of multidisciplinary biotechnologies for the investigation of cardiovascular mechanobiology and elucidation of its underlying mechanisms and clinical perspectives can help to generate new approaches for therapeutic interventions against cardiovascular diseases.
The aim of this Research Topic is to gather a comprehensive list of articles related to “New insights into cardiovascular mechanobiology: molecular basis and clinical perspectives”. The collection will cover various aspects spanning from basic, translational and clinical research related to cardiovascular mechanobiology.
We welcome submission of Original Research articles, Reviews and Mini-reviews, including the following topics:
- Novel mechanotransduction mechanisms by which cells of cardiovascular system sense and convert environ-mental mechanical stimuli into biological signaling and newly developed therapeutic strategies for treating the dysregulated mechanosensing pathways.
- Development of in vitro and in vivo model systems designed to produce new understanding of cardiovascular mechanobiology.
- Advancement in molecular engineering, live cell imaging, and bio-nanotechnology to visualize and elucidate the molecular mechanisms by which cells of cardiovascular system perceive and respond to the mechanical microenvironmental cues.
- Quantitative characterization of the physical properties of cardiovascular system at the molecu-lar/cellular/tissue/organ levels and its implications in cardiovascular physiology and pathophysiology in health and disease.
- Roles of mechanical forces in the regulation of cardiovascular development and their underlying mechanisms.
- Mechanical regulation of cardiovascular tissue repair and regeneration and its clinical applications.
Physical properties of the complex extracellular microenvironments are integral to tissue homeostasis. Cells have evolved sophisticated systems to perceive both their native and artificial microenvironments, translate these stimuli into biochemical signals controlling various aspects of cell behaviors, with the consequent modulation in the physiological and pathophysiological processes of tissues and organs. Abnormal cell responses to mechanical forces promote pathologies associated with numerous human diseases. This is particularly important in the cardiovascular system. For example, fluid mechanical forces are critical for cardiac morphogenesis and intentionally disrupted hemodynamic conditions in animal models result in cardiac defects. Disturbance in blood flow in branches and curvatures of the arterial tree may induce atherogenic signaling, gene expression, and functions in vascular endothelial cells, which promotes the formation and progression of atherosclerosis. Thus, understanding the mechanotranuduction mechanisms and the development of innovative mechanobiology-based therapeutic strategies and their molecular targets are exciting future directions in the prevention and treatment of cardiovascular diseases.
Cells that have resided in the cardiovascular system are exposed to continuous, highly dynamic mechanical forces in the temporal- and spatial-dependent manner. These mechanical forces include fluid shear stress produced by blood flow and acting on the cells in a tangential manner, circumferential stretch caused by the blood flow and pressure-induced deformation of organs, changes in stiffness/elasticity, geometry and topology of the extracellular matrix, and etc. Not only the changes in intracellular signaling, gene expression, DNA/RNA/protein modifications, and cell phenotype and functions in response to mechanical forces, but also the mechanical properties of cells change accordingly. The integration of multidisciplinary biotechnologies for the investigation of cardiovascular mechanobiology and elucidation of its underlying mechanisms and clinical perspectives can help to generate new approaches for therapeutic interventions against cardiovascular diseases.
The aim of this Research Topic is to gather a comprehensive list of articles related to “New insights into cardiovascular mechanobiology: molecular basis and clinical perspectives”. The collection will cover various aspects spanning from basic, translational and clinical research related to cardiovascular mechanobiology.
We welcome submission of Original Research articles, Reviews and Mini-reviews, including the following topics:
- Novel mechanotransduction mechanisms by which cells of cardiovascular system sense and convert environ-mental mechanical stimuli into biological signaling and newly developed therapeutic strategies for treating the dysregulated mechanosensing pathways.
- Development of in vitro and in vivo model systems designed to produce new understanding of cardiovascular mechanobiology.
- Advancement in molecular engineering, live cell imaging, and bio-nanotechnology to visualize and elucidate the molecular mechanisms by which cells of cardiovascular system perceive and respond to the mechanical microenvironmental cues.
- Quantitative characterization of the physical properties of cardiovascular system at the molecu-lar/cellular/tissue/organ levels and its implications in cardiovascular physiology and pathophysiology in health and disease.
- Roles of mechanical forces in the regulation of cardiovascular development and their underlying mechanisms.
- Mechanical regulation of cardiovascular tissue repair and regeneration and its clinical applications.