The Emerging Role of Cellular Mechanical Memory In Aqueous Humor Outflow Dysfunction In Glaucoma

Emerging evidence suggests that cells can retain information about previous mechanical environments and subsequently exhibit altered phenotypes even after the original mechanical stimulus is removed. This phenomenon is known as cellular mechanical memory that occurs in three phases: memory acquisition, storage, and recall. The literature supports a model in which mechanical experiences become encoded through interconnected cytoskeletal, nuclear, metabolic, and epigenetic mechanisms. Mechanical memory is increasingly recognized as a central regulator of cell fate and tissue remodeling, as well as a fundamental principle in development, aging, fibrosis, cancer, and regenerative medicine. We here give a concise overview of the historical origins and defining features of mechanical memory, discuss the emergence of mechanical memory in aqueous humor outflow dysfunction in glaucoma, summarize key unanswered questions, and close with a discussion of the clinical relevance of targeting mechanical memory for therapeutic purposes.