Localized force application reveals mechanically sensitive domains of Piezo1.
basic_science · Level V
Where this comes from
- Record sourced from PubMed, PMID 27694883.
- Also identified by DOI 10.1038/ncomms12939 and PMC identifier 5063965.
- Licence recorded as CC BY.
- The licence permits redistribution, so the abstract is shown in full and the full text is available from the publisher.
Abstract
Piezos are mechanically activated ion channels that function as sensors of touch and pressure in various cell types. However, the precise mechanism and structures mediating mechanical activation and subsequent inactivation have not yet been identified. Here we use magnetic nanoparticles as localized transducers of mechanical force in combination with pressure-clamp electrophysiology to identify mechanically sensitive domains important for activation and inactivation.
Medical subject headings
- Ion Channels
- Magnetics
- Nanoparticles