Mechanical ventilation (MV) is currently widely used in the treatment of respiratory failure and anesthesia surgery, and is a commonly used respiratory support method for critically ill patients
however, improper usage of MV can lead to ventilator-induced lung injury (VILI), which poses a significant threat to patient life. Alveolar epithelial cell (AEC) has the functions of mechanosensation and mechanotransduction. Physiological mechanical stretching is beneficial for maintaining the lineage homeostasis and normal physiological functions of AEC cells, while excessive mechanical stretching can cause damage to AEC cells. Damage to AEC cells is an important aspect in the occurrence and development of VILI. Understanding the effects of mechanical stretching on AEC cells is crucial for developing safe and effective MV strategies, preventing the occurrence of VILI, and improving the clinical prognosis of VILI patients. From the perspective of cell mechanics, this paper aims to briefly elucidate the mechanical properties of AEC cells, mechanosensation and mechanotransduction of mechanical stretching in AEC cells, and the injury and repair of AEC cells under mechanical stretch stimulation, and potential mechanisms with the goal of helping clinical doctors better understand the pathophysiological mechanism of VILI caused by MV, improve their understanding of VILI, provide safer and more effective strategies for the use of clinical MV, and provide theoretical basis for the prevention and treatment of VILI.