In order to elucidate the underlying mechanism of acupuncture in regulating different physiological functional activities at cellular level

abundant researches have been conducted on cellular signal transduction activities.The present article preliminarily analyzes acupuncture stimulation induced various cellular signaling pathways from the afferent physical signals of the regional mechanical stimulation at the acupoint

activation of receptors of the cellular membrane such as Guanine nucleotide bin-ding protein coupled receptors

etc.

intracellular second messenger molecules including cAMP

Ca2+

inositol triphosphate

diacyl glycerol

etc.

signal transduction pathways as mitogen-activated protein kinase

Janus kinase-signal transduction and transcription activator

nitrogen oxide-cyclic guanylic acid

etc.

to the extremely complicated cellular signal transduction networks.In addition

the present paper also makes a discussion on the present developing situation of acupuncture research.It is possible that the connective tissue of the body surface will become a key point in the future research on acupuncture remedy.More attention should be paid to the interrelation among various intracellular signaling pathways and the network of cellular signal transduction in the research on acupuncture therapy for regulating a variety of physiological effects.