Mammalian Mechanoelectrical Transduction: Structure and Function of Force-Gated Ion Channels

The conversion of force into an electrical cellular signal is mediated by the opening of different types of mechansensitive ion channels (MSCs) including TREK/TRAAK K-2P channels, Piezo1/2, TMEM63/OSCA, and TMC1/2. Mechanoelectrical transduction plays a key role in hearing, balance, touch, and proprioception and is also implicated in the autonomic regulation of blood pressure and breathing. Thus, dysfunction of MSCs is associated with a variety of inherited and acquired disease states. Significant progress has recently been made in identifying these channels, solving 'heir structure, and understanding the gating of both hyperpolarizing and depolarizing MSCs. Besides prototypical activation by membrane tension, additional gating mechanisms involving channel curvature and/or tethered elements are at play.