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Mechanisms of endothelial flow sensing

Nature Cardiovascular Research volume 2, pages 517–529 (2023)Cite this article

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Abstract

Fluid shear stress plays a key role in sculpting blood vessels during development, in adult vascular homeostasis and in vascular pathologies. During evolution, endothelial cells evolved several mechanosensors that convert physical forces into biochemical signals, a process termed mechanotransduction. This Review discusses our understanding of endothelial flow sensing and suggests important questions for future investigation.

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Fig. 1: Vessel structure determines blood flow patterns and vessel health.
Fig. 2: Endothelial mechanosensors.

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Acknowledgements

This work was supported, in part, by grants from the BHF The Wilson and Olegario Class of 2020 (to C.A.); Wellcome Trust (senior research fellowship to E.T.); BHF (PG/16/29/32128, PG/19/70/34630 and RG/F/20/110025 to E.T.); MRC (2109HS002/AM111); John Fell Fund (to E.T.); the BHF Centre of Excellence, Oxford (RE/13/1/30181); and the Wellcome Trust grant 203141/Z/16/Z supporting the Wellcome Centre for Human Genetics. M.A.S. was supported by USPHS grant R01 HL155543. We thank J. Reader for illuminating discussions.

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  1. These authors contributed equally: Claire Aitken, Vedanta Mehta.

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  1. Wellcome Centre for Human Genetics, Radcliffe Department of Medicine, University of Oxford, Oxford, United Kingdom

    Claire Aitken, Vedanta Mehta & Ellie Tzima

  2. Yale Cardiovascular Research Center, Section of Cardiovascular Medicine, Department of Internal Medicine, and Departments of Cell Biology and Biomedical Engineering, Yale University, New Haven, CT, USA

    Martin A. Schwartz

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Aitken, C., Mehta, V., Schwartz, M.A. et al. Mechanisms of endothelial flow sensing. Nat Cardiovasc Res 2, 517–529 (2023). https://doi.org/10.1038/s44161-023-00276-0

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