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Review
. 2024 Oct 4:17:1427070.
doi: 10.3389/fnmol.2024.1427070. eCollection 2024.

Cellular signaling pathways in the nervous system activated by various mechanical and electromagnetic stimuli

Youngjae Ryu  1 , Aboubacar Wague  2   3 , Xuhui Liu  2   3 , Brian T Feeley  2   3 , Adam R Ferguson  4   5   6 , Kazuhito Morioka  3   4   5   7
Affiliations
Review

Cellular signaling pathways in the nervous system activated by various mechanical and electromagnetic stimuli

Youngjae Ryu et al. Front Mol Neurosci. .

Abstract

Mechanical stimuli, such as stretch, shear stress, or compression, activate a range of biomolecular responses through cellular mechanotransduction. In the nervous system, studies on mechanical stress have highlighted key pathophysiological mechanisms underlying traumatic injury and neurodegenerative diseases. However, the biomolecular pathways triggered by mechanical stimuli in the nervous system has not been fully explored, especially compared to other body systems. This gap in knowledge may be due to the wide variety of methods and definitions used in research. Additionally, as mechanical stimulation techniques such as ultrasound and electromagnetic stimulation are increasingly utilized in psychological and neurorehabilitation treatments, it is vital to understand the underlying biological mechanisms in order to develop accurate pathophysiological models and enhance therapeutic interventions. This review aims to summarize the cellular signaling pathways activated by various mechanical and electromagnetic stimuli with a particular focus on the mammalian nervous system. Furthermore, we briefly discuss potential cellular mechanosensors involved in these processes.

Keywords: cellular signaling; mechanical stress; mechanosensor; mechanotransduction; nervous system.

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Conflict of interest statement

The authors declare that the research was conducted in the absence of any commercial or financial relationships that could be construed as a potential conflict of interest.

Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1
Types of mechanical stimulation and related mechanotransduction pathways by reported mechanosensors.
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Grants and funding

The author(s) declare that financial support was received for the research, authorship, and/or publication of this article. Research reported in this publication was supported by the National Institute of Arthritis and Musculoskeletal and Skin Diseases of the National Institutes of Health under Award Number P30AR075055. The content is solely the responsibility of the authors and does not necessarily represent the official views of the National Institutes of Health.