The conversion of physical signals, such as contractile forces or external mechanical perturbations, into chemical signaling events is a fundamental cellular process that occurs at cell-extracellular matrix contacts, known as focal adhesions. At these sites, transmembrane integrin receptors are associated via their cytoplasmic domains with the actin cytoskeleton. This interaction with actin is mediated by a submembrane plaque, consisting of numerous cytoskeletal and signaling molecules. Application of intrinsic or external forces to these structures dramatically affects their assembly and triggers adhesion-mediated signaling. In this review, we discuss the structure-function relationships of focal adhesions and the possible mode of action of the putative mechanosensor associated with them. We also discuss the general phenomenon of mechanosensitivity, and the approaches used to measure local forces at adhesion sites, the cytoskeleton-mediated regulation of local contractility, and the nature of the signaling networks that both affect contractility and are affected by it.

中文翻译：

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粘附依赖性细胞机械敏感性。

将诸如收缩力或外部机械扰动之类的物理信号转换为化学信号事件，是发生在细胞-细胞外基质接触处的基本细胞过程，称为粘着斑。在这些位点，跨膜整联蛋白受体通过其胞质结构域与肌动蛋白细胞骨架相关联。与肌动蛋白的这种相互作用是通过由许多细胞骨架和信号分子组成的亚膜斑块来介导的。向这些结构施加内力或外力会极大地影响其组装并触发粘附介导的信号传导。在这篇综述中，我们讨论了粘着斑的结构-功能关系以及与之相关的推定机械传感器的可能作用方式。