ABSTRACT
Piezo1 and Piezo2 are mechanically activated nonselective cation channels. Piezos are found in protists, plants and all metazoans where they function as sensors of mechanical forces. Several human diseases have been genetically linked to Piezos, but the underlying mechanisms are mostly unclear. Multiple structures have revealed that Piezos are trimers with a central pore and cap domain, and large curved blades that are likely essential for sensing of membrane tension and controlling channel gating. Only a few chemical activators and blockers of Piezos exist, but lipids have emerged as important modulators of Piezo function. Further diversity of Piezo function is added by the modulation of a channel-intrinsic mechanism of inactivation and cell-specific alternative splicing. This chapter discusses the established concepts of Piezo structure, function, and physiology, and outlines areas that are subject of ongoing investigations.
