Sonobiology studies how acoustic waves and low vibrations influence key cellular processes, such as growth and differentiation, through mechanisms that connect mechanical stimuli with gene expression.
These mechanical waves interact with various cellular elements, including ion channels, primary cilia, cell\u2013cell adhesion receptors, cell\u2013matrix and extracellular matrix proteins, and focal adhesion complexes. These components connect with the cytoskeletal fibre network, enabling the transmission of mechanical stimuli towards the nucleus. <\/p>\n\n
The nucleus, in turn, linked to the cytoskeleton via the linkers of the nucleoskeleton and cytoskeleton complex, acts as a mechanosensitive centre, not only responding to changes in cytoskeletal stiffness and nuclear tension but also regulating gene expression through the transcriptional co-activator YAP\/TAZ and interactions between chromatin and the nuclear envelope.<\/p>\n\n
This intricate chain of mechanisms highlights the potential of sonobiology in various fields, including dentistry, regenerative medicine, tissue engineering and cancer research. However, progress in these fields requires the establishment of standardized measurement methodologies and biocompatible experimental setups to ensure the reproducibility of results. <\/p>\n\n