Touch sensation requires the mechanically gated ion channel ELKIN1
Sampurna Chakrabarti1, Jasmin D Klich1, Mohammed A Khallaf1,2
1Molecular Physiology of Somatic Sensation Laboratory, Max Delbrück Center for Molecular Medicine in the Helmholtz Association (MDC), 13125 Berlin-Buch, Germany.
Abstract:
Touch perception is enabled by mechanically activated ion channels, the opening of which excites cutaneous sensory endings to initiate sensation. In this study, we identify ELKIN1 as an ion channel likely gated by mechanical force, necessary for normal touch sensitivity in mice. Touch insensitivity in Elkin1 mice was caused by a loss of mechanically activated currents (MA currents) in around half of all sensory neurons activated by light touch (low-threshold mechanoreceptors). Reintroduction of Elkin1 into sensory neurons from Elkin1 mice restored MA currents. Additionally, small interfering RNA-mediated knockdown of ELKIN1 from induced human sensory neurons substantially reduced indentation-induced MA currents, supporting a conserved role for ELKIN1 in human touch. Our data identify ELKIN1 as a core component of touch transduction in mice and potentially in humans.
Related Concept Videos
Mechanically-gated Ion Channels
G-Protein Gated Ion Channels
Sensory...
Non-gated Ion Channels
Compared to the gated ion channels, the non-gated channels, also known as leakage or passive channels, have no gating mechanism....
Ligand-Gated Ion Channel Receptor: Gating Mechanism
Voltage-gated Ion Channels
Generally, all voltage-gated ion channels have a 'voltage-sensing domain' that spans the lipid bilayer. The charged residues in the sensor move in response to the membrane potential changes that open the channel allowing ions movement. There are several...
Ion Channels
Ion channels are specialized integral membrane proteins on the plasma membrane that allow...


