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Title: Piezo1 as a force-through-membrane sensor in red blood cells
Piezo1 is the stretch activated Ca2+channel in red blood cells that mediates homeostatic volume control. Here, we study the organization of Piezo1 in red blood cells using a combination of super-resolution microscopy techniques and electron microscopy. Piezo1 adopts a non-uniform distribution on the red blood cell surface, with a bias toward the biconcave ‘dimple’. Trajectories of diffusing Piezo1 molecules, which exhibit confined Brownian diffusion on short timescales and hopping on long timescales, also reflect a bias toward the dimple. This bias can be explained by ‘curvature coupling’ between the intrinsic curvature of the Piezo dome and the curvature of the red blood cell membrane. Piezo1 does not form clusters with itself, nor does it colocalize with F-actin, Spectrin, or the Gardos channel. Thus, Piezo1 exhibits the properties of a force-through-membrane sensor of curvature and lateral tension in the red blood cell.  more » « less
Award ID(s):
2051681 1554716
PAR ID:
10477615
Author(s) / Creator(s):
; ; ; ;
Publisher / Repository:
eLife
Date Published:
Journal Name:
eLife
Volume:
11
ISSN:
2050-084X
Page Range / eLocation ID:
e82621
Format(s):
Medium: X
Sponsoring Org:
National Science Foundation
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  1. Abstract

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  2. Haugh, Jason M. (Ed.)

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  4. Key points

    Trabecular meshwork (TM) is a highly mechanosensitive tissue in the eye that regulates intraocular pressure through the control of aqueous humour drainage.

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    Its activation resulted in intracellular signals that altered organization of the cytoskeleton and cell‐extracellular matrix contacts and modulated the trabecular component of aqueous outflow whereas another channel, TRPV4, mediated a delayed mechanoresponse.

    This study helps elucidate basic mechanotransduction properties that may contribute to intraocular pressure regulation in the vertebrate eye.

    Abstract

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