Objective:　The　aim　of　the　present　study　was　to　investigate　the　effect　of　static　strain　on　bone　marrow　mesenchymal　stem　cell　(BMMSC)　migration　and　whether　the　p38/matrix　metalloproteinase-2　(MMP-2)　axis　plays　a　role　in　induction　of　BMMSC　migration　under　mechanical　strain.　Design:　Both　in　vivo　and　in　vitro　investigations　were　performed.　Twelve　adult　male　Sprague-Dawley　rats　were　randomly　divided　into　2　groups　(n=　6　per　group).　Rats　in　the　experimental　group　underwent　right　mandibular　distraction　osteogenesis,　whereas　rats　in　the　control　group　were　subjected　to　osteotomy　in　the　mandible　without　distraction.　Immunohistochemistry　and　immunofluorescence　were　performed　to　evaluate　phospho-p38　(p-p38)　and　Nestin　expression.　BMMSCs　were　isolated　from　rat　mandibles.　BMMSCs　in　the　experimental　group　were　subjected　to　static　mechanical　strain　for　2　h,　whereas　those　in　the　control　group　underwent　no　strain.　The　biological　roles　of　static　strain　and　the　p38/MMP-2　axis　in　BMMSC　migration　were　evaluated　by　Transwell　assays　and　western　blotting　by　inhibiting　p38　phosphorylation.　Results:　There　were　significantly　more　Nestin(+)　cells　in　the　bone　calluses　of　the　experimental　group　than　in　those　of　the　control　group.　In　addition,　Nestin(+)Vp-p38(+)　cell　numbers　were　significantly　higher　in　the　experimental　group　than　in　the　control　group,　indicating　that　static　strain　activated　p38　signaling　in　BMMSCs　in　vivo.　In　accordance　with　in　vivo　results,　static　strain　in　vitro　stimulated　phosphorylation　of　p38　in　BMMSCs.　Furthermore,　expression　of　MMP-2　was　elevated　in　BMMSCs　under　static　strain　compared　with　the　control,　and　strain-induced　MMP-2　expression　was　abolished　by　inhibition　of　p38　phosphorylation　in　BMMSCs.　Moreover,　Transwell　assay　results　showed　that　static　strain　promoted　BMMSC　migration,　which　was　abolished　by　inhibition　of　p38　phosphorylation.　Conclusions:　The　present　study　demonstrated　that　static　strain　can　promote　the　migration　ability　of　BMMSCs　via　p38/MMP-2　signaling.　To　the　best　of　our　knowledge,　this　study　is　the　first　report　demonstrating　that　the　p38/MMP-2　axis　governs　BMMSC　migration　under　static　mechanical　strain.　(C)　2017　Elsevier　Ltd.　All　rights　reserved.