Piezo proteins have recently been identified as ion channels mediating mechanosensory transduction in mammalian cells. Characterization of these channels has yielded important insights into mechanisms of somatosensation, as well as other mechano-associated biologic processes such as sensing of shear stress, particularly in the vasculature, and regulation of urine flow and bladder distention. Ot...

the primary cilium which is an organelle in nearly every cell in the vertebrate body extends out of the cell surface like an antenna and is known as cell sensor of mechanical and chemical stimuli. in previous numerical simulations, researchers modeled this organelle as a cantilevered beam attached to the cell surface. in the present study, however, we present a novel model that accommodates for...

Integrin- and cadherin-mediated adhesion is central for cell and tissue morphogenesis, allowing cells and tissues to change shape without loosing integrity. Studies predominantly in cell culture showed that mechanosensation through adhesion structures is achieved by force-mediated modulation of their molecular composition. The specific molecular composition of adhesion sites in turn determines ...