Abundant research results have shown that multiple levels and links of cellular transmembrane signal transduction pathways in the target organs were involved in the efficacy of acupuncture.For instance

1) various extra-cellular growth factors for initiating signal transduction by activating tyrosine protein kinase and non-receptor tyrosine kinase

2) G protein-coupled protein kinase-second signal messengers

3) ligands acting on intra-nuclear receptors to activate transduction pathway of nuclear transcription factors of the target genes

have been demonstrated in the favorable regulating process of acupuncture and moxibustion in different pathological animal models.In the present paper

the authors review the progress of studies on the abovementioned mechanism of acu-moxibustion underlying improving some disorders as 1) pain

cerebral ischemia

and senile dementia

2) inflammation and tumor

and 3) myocardial ischemia.Moreover

the authors also analyze the extant problems and make a prospect on the future studies about the cellular transmembrane signal transduction pathways involving the effects of acupuncture and moxibustion.