Jian Shi^1,*, Baptiste Rode¹, David Beech¹

Molecular & Cellular Biomechanics, Vol.16, Suppl.2, pp. 98-98, 2019, DOI:10.32604/mcb.2019.06939

Abstract The sensing of blood flow-evoked shear stress is critical in vascular development and maintenance of a healthy vasculature in the adult [1,2]. The identity of molecules which sense and transduce this force into appropriate vascular anatomy and function is therefore keenly sought. A central question is whether there is a force sensor protein (“receptor”) which directly detects the force, acting either alone or in complex with other proteins. Piezo1 channels are Ca²⁺-permeable non-selective cationic channels which are activated by membrane stretch. These channels are important for shear stress-sensing and vascular function in embryonic and adult mice. Through whole-cell perforated patch… More >

Sitong Zhou¹, Jiandi Wan^1,*

Molecular & Cellular Biomechanics, Vol.16, Suppl.2, pp. 70-70, 2019, DOI:10.32604/mcb.2019.06978

Abstract Piezo proteins (Piezo1 and Piezo2) are recently identified mechanically activated cation channels in eukaryotic cells and associated with physiological responses to touch, pressure, and stretch. In particular, human RBCs express Piezo1 on their membranes, and mutations of Piezo1 have been linked to hereditary xerocytosis. To date, however, physiological functions of Piezo1 on normal RBCs remain poorly understood. Here, we show that Piezo1 regulates mechanotransductive release of ATP from human RBCs by controlling the shear-induced Ca2+ influx [1]. We find that, in human RBCs treated with Piezo1 inhibitors or having mutant Piezo1 channels, the amounts of shear-induced ATP release and Ca2+… More >