Teaching vascular adaptations to mechanical stress.

Blood vessels change their number and structure in attempt to meet tissue demands for blood flow while simultaneously controlling mechanical stresses. A great deal of information is emerging in this field, especially concerning the role of the endothelium and signaling pathways for mechanotransduction. While not delving too deeply into the rapidly changing details, the students can be introduced to this exciting field by describing the structural changes that take place and outlining the major theories that are being investigated. The applications to peripheral vascular disease, myocardial infarctions, hypertension and tumor growth are readily apparent.