Pushing peristalsis with PIEZO pressure sensor
Perogative to poop. PREMIUM CONTENT subscriber access
Back in 2021, I reported on the Nobel Prize winning discoveries of heat and touch ion channels.
Pushing forth some membrane channel news ...
It’s that time of year again … Nobel Prize in Medicine/Physiology. My research roots originate in Biophysics, looking at voltage-dependent calcium channels in invertebrate neurons. So I was heartened to see ion channel investigations recognized. These are specialized membrane channels that can respond to mechanical deformation and to chemical sensations perceived as heat/inflammation.
The mechanotransducer ion channel class plays critical roles in addition to the skin’s sense of touch; these include proprioception, skeletal remodeling, maintaining blood pressure, respiration, and bladder control.
Mechanotransduction is a fundamental ability that allows living organisms to receive and respond to physical signals from both the external and internal environments. The mechanotransduction process requires a range of special proteins termed mechanotransducers to convert mechanical forces into biochemical signals in cells. The Piezo proteins are mechanically activated nonselective cation channels and the largest plasma membrane ion channels reported thus far. The regulation of two family members, Piezo1 and Piezo2, has been reported to have essential functions in mechanosensation and transduction in different organs and tissues. Recently, the predominant contributions of the Piezo family were reported to occur in the skeletal system, especially in bone development and mechano-stimulated bone homeostasis. Here we review current studies focused on the tissue-specific functions of Piezo1 and Piezo2 in various backgrounds with special highlights on their importance in regulating skeletal cell mechanotransduction. -L Qin, et al.

Research in mice now implicates these Piezo ion channels in the regulation of gut motility.
Keep reading with a 7-day free trial
Subscribe to BioMedWorks’ Newsletter to keep reading this post and get 7 days of free access to the full post archives.