Polycystin-1 and bone mechanotransduction

Bone mechanotransduction is a fundamental process underlying the remarkable ability of bones to perceive surrounding physical cues and adapt their mass, structure and overall strength to their mechanical environment. Therefore, it is central to many aspects of bone biology and disease. The key to a mechanistic understanding of this process lies in better knowledge of critical signaling molecules that relay the mechanical information inside bone cells. In this thesis, we investigate the role of polycystin-1 (PC1), a proposed fluid flow sensor in kidney epithelial cells, in transducing mechanical signals in bone cells.