Vascular Endothelial Mechanosensors in Response to Fluid Shear Stress

The endothelium consists of a single layer of vascular endothelial cells (ECs) and serves as a selective barrier between the blood and arteries. ECs are constantly exposed to blood flow- and pulsatile blood pressure-induced hemodynamic forces. The cells are able to convert these mechanical stimuli into biochemical signals and then transmit the signals into the cell interior to affect cellular functions. These mechanical stimuli are detected by multiple mechanosensors in ECs that activate signaling pathways through their associated adaptor proteins, eventually leading to the maintenance of vascular homeostasis or the development of the pathogenesis of vascular disorders. These mechanosensors are distributed in different parts of the ECs, including the cell membrane, cell-to-cell junctions, the cytoplasm, and the nucleus. This review attempts to bring together recent findings on these mechanosensors and presents a conceptual framework for understanding the regulation of endothelial mechanosensors in response to hemodynamic forces. With verification by in vitro and in vivo evidence, endothelial mechanosensors have been demonstrated to contribute to health and disease by regulating physiological and pathophysiological processes in response to mechanical stimuli.