"Function dictates structure" is a classic paradigm reaffirmed in Wolff''s law of the skeletal system. A major question being addressed by current research in biomechanics is whether this doctrine also holds true for the cardiovascular system and connective tissues. Taking a multidisciplinary approach to this question has produced new insights into the sensors, signals, and activators that produce remodeling and functional adaptation in cardiac muscle, blood vessels, and bone, including important new findings on the response of vascular endothelial cells to shear stress. Other work focuses on the extent of remodeling and adaptation processes in tendons, ligaments, and intervertebral discs. Together with two companion volumes, Computational Biomechanics and the Data Book on Mechanical Properties of Living Cells, Tissues, and Organs, this monograph will prove invaluable to those working in fields ranging from medical science and clinical medicine to biomedical engineering and applied mechanics.
