The Science of Acupuncture

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WHEN CONNECTIVE TISSUE STRETCHES

Various types of connective tissue join organ and muscle groups throughout the body. Our research showed that when connective tissue is stretched for at least 30 minutes, either by physical extension¹ or by mechanical stimulation with an acupuncture needle², the fibroblast cells that help produce and maintain the connective-tissue matrix become enlarged and flattened. A current cellular model that could explain this change in shape predicts that focal-adhesion complexes on the surface of the fibroblasts detect the stretching, and initiate a signaling pathway mediated by the protein Rho³. In response, the cell releases ATP into extracellular space. ATP participates in the change in cell shape, and also may be converted into breakdown products with analgesic effects⁴.

In addition, the Rho pathway instigates remodeling of the cell’s focal adhesions⁵,...