Many cancer cell lines exposed to laminar shear stress exhibit increased apoptosis in comparison to cells exposed to oscillatory shear stress or steady media; this effect is mediated by bone morphogenetic protein receptor type-1B (BMPR-1B), BMPR-1B-specific SMAD1 and SMAD5, and p38 mitogen-activated protein kinases in Hep3B cells (Lien et al., 2013). The gene discussed is BMPR1B; the disease is cancer.