May the Force Be with You: Search for Ion Channels that Respond to Pressure

Mechanotransduction is perhaps the last sensory modality not understood at the molecular level. Proteins/ion channels that sense mechanical force are postulated to play critical roles in sensing touch/pain (somatosensation), sound (hearing), sheer stress (cardiovascular tone), etc.; however, the identity of ion channels involved in sensing mechanical force has remained elusive. We have recently identified Piezo1 and Piezo2, mechanically-activated cation channels that are expressed in many mechanosensitive cell types. Current efforts focus on understanding structure-function relationship of Piezo proteins, elucidating their physiological roles in various biological processes and diseases that depend on mechanotransduction, and identifying novel mechanical sensors.