Research on Deqi Based on Cell Mechanics
WANG Rui1, SHENG Wenru1, XUE Xiqing1, LU Dongyu1, TSENG Yiider1,2*
Current basic science research on acupuncture has predominantly focused on the nervous system,with limited exploration of the acupuncture initiation mechanism at acupoints. Acupuncture initiation refers to theinitial cellular responses triggered by mechanical stimulation at acupoints, encompassing mechanical signal perception and transduction; Deqi (the arrival of qi) represents the clinical subjective and objective manifestation of thisinitiation. The mechanical signals generated by acupuncture are converted into biochemical signals by mechanicallysensitive cells, which prompt the cells to release bioactive factors and alter the microenvironment where the cellsare located. This, in turn, affects the biological responses of neighboring cells, creating an iterative effect, triggeringmeridian sensation transmission, and achieving Deqi at the affected area. During this process, acupoint sensitizationreduces the threshold of cellular perception to mechanical stimulation via local immune responses, thereby amplifying the Deqi effect. Based on these observations, this paper proposes a hypothesis framework: “mechanical inputcellular mechanical signal conversion-acupuncture signal cascade amplification-needle sensation transmission”. The expansion of acupuncture signals from a “point” (acupoint) to a “line” (meridian) and the entire body is furtherconceptualized as a logical chain: “sensitized Deqi-meridian sensation propagation-systemic regulation”. Building on this, a multi-dimensional quantitative evaluation framework for Deqi is constructed, integrating mechanicalphysical quantities, biochemical molecules, and tissue functional responses, to provide a measurable pathway forexperimental validation of the hypothesis. This paper elucidates the material basis and signal transduction mechanisms of acupuncture Deqi from a cellular mechanics perspective, establishes the intrinsic relationship betweenacupoint sensitization and meridian sensation propagation, and offers a modern scientific theoretical framework forthe essence of acupuncture, along with a testable mechanistic hypothesis for subsequent experimental verification.
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