Piezo1 ion channels inherently function as independent mechanotransducers

Lewis, Amanda H

Grandl, Jörg

2021-11-01T16:09:27Z

2021-11-01T16:09:27Z

2021-11-01T16:09:26Z

<jats:p>Piezo1 is a mechanically activated ion channel involved in sensing forces in various cell types and tissues. Cryo-electron microscopy has revealed that the Piezo1 structure is bowl-shaped and capable of inducing membrane curvature via its extended footprint, which indirectly suggests that Piezo1 ion channels may bias each other’s spatial distribution and interact functionally. Here, we use cell-attached patch-clamp electrophysiology and pressure-clamp stimulation to functionally examine large numbers of membrane patches from cells expressing Piezo1 endogenously at low levels and cells overexpressing Piezo1 at high levels. Our data, together with stochastic simulations of Piezo1 spatial distributions, show that both at endogenous densities (1–2 channels/μm<jats:sup>2</jats:sup>), and at non-physiological densities (10–100 channels/μm<jats:sup>2</jats:sup>) predicted to cause substantial footprint overlap, Piezo1 density has no effect on its pressure sensitivity or open probability in the nominal absence of membrane tension. The results suggest that Piezo channels, at densities likely to be physiologically relevant, inherently behave as independent mechanotransducers. We propose that this property is essential for cells to transduce forces homogeneously across the entire cell membrane.</jats:p>

2050-084X

https://hdl.handle.net/10161/23957

en

eLife Sciences Publications, Ltd

eLife

10.7554/elife.70988

Piezo1 ion channels inherently function as independent mechanotransducers

Journal article

Grandl, Jörg|0000-0001-7179-7609

School of Medicine

Neurobiology

Duke Institute for Brain Sciences

Duke

Basic Science Departments

University Institutes and Centers

Institutes and Provost's Academic Units

Published online

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