Functional coupling of Piezo1 channels and Ca²⁺-activated ion channels in the plasma membrane: fine-tunable interplay with wide-range signaling effects

Ca²⁺ is a universal second messenger in living cells, and its concentration should be precisely localized to provide the outstanding specificity of signal transduction. The conception of Ca²⁺ micro- and nanodomains in which Ca²⁺ ions could control the activity of various Ca²⁺-dependent molecules was postulated: the Ca²⁺-permeable ion channels in the plasma membrane provide a pathway for Ca²⁺ entry from the extracellular milieu into the cytosol regulating the activity of Ca²⁺-dependent molecules, that is, functionally colocalized Ca²⁺-activated ion channels. These channel complexes of different molecular compositions were observed in the cells of different origins; thus, the phenomenon of ion channel coupling is thought to be a universal property of living cells. Piezo1 is a mechanosensitive Ca²⁺-permeable ion channel that plays a pivotal role in cellular mechanotransduction and is integrated into various signaling cascades regulating the activity of Ca²⁺-dependent molecules. Here, we summarized recent experimental data on the presence and role of functional complexes of Piezo1 with Ca²⁺-activated channels of different origins and highlighted the complex molecular mechanisms that could control the channel coupling in the plasma membrane.