Mechanical stress–induced transmembrane signaling and integrated phenotypes of failing heart. The activation profiles of various signaling cascades and time-dependent changes in phenotypic features of heart failure are illustrated based on our previous studies (5) and unpublished observations. The lower panel shows the expression profiles of selected genes from publications in both human and animal studies. See supplemental reading list (www.jci.org/cgi/content/full/109/7/849/DC1) for detailed references.