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Keratinocyte PIEZO1 modulates cutaneous mechanosensation
Alexander R Mikesell1, Olena Isaeva1, Francie Moehring1
1Department of Cell Biology, Neurobiology and Anatomy, Medical College of Wisconsin, Wauwatosa, United States.
Elife
|September 2, 2022
Summary
Epidermal keratinocytes detect touch via PIEZO1, a key mechanotransducer. This finding is crucial for understanding how mechanical stimuli are converted into nerve signals for touch sensation.
Area of Science:
- Neuroscience
- Cell Biology
- Dermatology
Background:
- Epidermal keratinocytes play a vital role in mediating touch sensation.
- The specific molecular mechanisms and mechanotransducers involved in keratinocyte mechanotransduction remain largely unknown.
Purpose of the Study:
- To identify the key mechanotransducer responsible for mechanical stimulation response in epidermal keratinocytes.
- To investigate the role of identified mechanotransducer in sensory neuron signaling and behavioral responses to touch.
Main Methods:
- Utilized genetic mouse models to study the function of the mechanically-gated ion channel PIEZO1 in keratinocytes.
- Assessed sensory afferent firing and behavioral responses to mechanical stimuli in mice with altered PIEZO1 expression in keratinocytes.
Main Results:
- Identified the mechanically-gated ion channel PIEZO1 as a critical mechanotransducer in epidermal keratinocytes.
- Demonstrated that keratinocyte expression of PIEZO1 is essential for normal sensory afferent firing.
- Showcased that PIEZO1 in keratinocytes is critical for appropriate behavioral responses to mechanical stimuli in mice.
Conclusions:
- PIEZO1 is a key molecular player enabling epidermal keratinocytes to sense and respond to mechanical stimuli.
- The findings highlight PIEZO1 as a crucial link between mechanical forces and neural signaling in touch sensation.
- This study provides novel insights into the cellular mechanisms underlying tactile perception.
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