Role of Piezo Ion Channels in Mechanosensation

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 function), etc.; however, the identity of ion channels involved in sensing mechanical force has remained elusive. We identified Piezo1 and Piezo2, mechanically-activated cation channels that are expressed in many mechanosensitive cell types. We demonstrated that Piezos constitute an evolutionarily conserved family of mechanically-activated cation channels. We further showed that Piezo1 is a shear stress sensor in vascular endothelial cells, while Piezo2 is the major transducer of mechanical forces for touch sensation in mice. Current efforts focus on understanding structure-function relationship of Piezo proteins, and elucidating their physiological roles in various biological processes and diseases that depend on mechanotransduction. Finally, we are searching for novel mechanosensors.