“There is a particularly fascinating receptor known as an integrin. Integrins are adhesive in nature. They stick each cell to the ECM. What makes integrins unique is that they respond not to chemical stimuli but to mechanical stimuli. They are sensitive to both stretch and vibration. It is as if each cell in the body was plugged into the ECM so that it can also monitor the environment by listening to it.

When the integrin is stimulated, it responds by creating electrochemical changes at the cellular level. The process of creating changes via mechanical pressure and vibration at the cellular level is called mechanotransduction.”
(Pg 12 of 154)

“In the simplest possible terms, the ECM is involved in every process and function of the body. It also serves as the body’s intranet. The EDM makes sure all the cells are in communication with all the other cells, creating a body-wide signaling network (Oschman 2003, Langevin 2006) that transmits mechanical signals such as strain and vibration throughout the entire organism via the fascial web.” (Pg 12 of 154)

“Fascia responds according to mechanical supply and demand, and follows Wolff’s law. Fibroblasts are both spooling out more collagen where necessary and secreting collagenase, a collagen-eating enzyme, all based on signals of pressure and vibration, like a cellular public works department – building, knocking down, and cleaning up the collagen matrix.” (Pg 14 of 154)

“As a quick recap, the key player in mechanotransduction is integrin, which helps bind the cell to the extracellular matrix via the collagen matrix. When stimulated by pressure and vibration, integrin transmits that tension to the nucleus where chemical changes altering gene expressions, and even effecting which genes switch on and switch off, occur.” (Pg 33 of 154)

Book Citation: Lesondak, David. (2018). Fascia: What it is and Why it Matters. Handspring Pub Ltd. Kindle Edition.