Piezo1 and Piezo2 Are Essential Components of Distinct Mechanically Activated Cation Channels

• DOI: 10.1126/science.1193270
• Publication Date: 2010-09-03T02:32:00Z
• Authors: Bertrand Coste; Jayanti Mathur; Manuela Schmidt; Taryn J. Earley; Sanjeev Ranade; Matt J. Petrus; Adrienne E. Dubin; Ardem Patapoutian
• Keywords: Piezo1; Dorsal root ganglion; Mechanotransduction

Mechanical Responders Identified Although many cells appear to respond mechanical stimulation through increased conductance of ion channels in the plasma membrane, actual that mediate these effects—which are important diverse processes from hearing and touch control blood pressure—have remained elusive. Coste et al. (p. 55 , published online 2 September) used RNA interference decrease expression candidate genes systematically a mouse neuroblastoma cell line identified two encode proteins, Piezo1 Piezo2, which required for mechanically stimulated cation cultured dorsal root ganglion neurons. Similar proteins expressed range species protozoa vertebrates. The not similar known pore-forming thus could be unusual or regulatory components channel complex.