When tissue cells are plated on a flexible substrate, durotaxis, the directed migration of cells toward mechanically stiff regions, has been observed. Environmental mechanical signals are not only important in cell migration but also seem to influence all aspects of cell differentiation and development, including the metastatic process in cancer cells. Based on a theoretical model suggesting th...

Drugs that block mechanically-evoked pain would be useful for many common pain conditions, but appropriate drug development targets have yet to be defined. There is increasing evidence that both peripheral sensory neuron wiring patterns as well as the expression of transducing molecules are important for modality specific pain sensations. Progress in identifying the cell types, candidate transd...

Mechanosensation is emerging as a general principle of myosin motors. As demonstrated in a recent study, the single-headed myosin I molecule is an exquisite mechanosensor, able to sense strain over a very small force range.

A family of transmembrane proteins has been shown to modulate both the calcium permeability and single-channel conductance of the vertebrate hair-cell mechanosensor, implicating them directly in inner ear mechanosensation.

Because of the structural and functional homology to the hair cells of the mammalian inner ear, the neurons that innervate the Drosophila external sense organs provide an excellent model system for the study of mechanosensation. This protocol describes a simple touch behavior in fruit flies which can be used to identify mutations that interfere with mechanosensation. The tactile stimulation of ...

Mechanotransduction channels mediate several common sensory modalities such as hearing, touch, and proprioception; however, very little is known about the molecular identities of these channels. Many TRP family channels have been implicated in mechanosensation, but none have been demonstrated to form a mechanotransduction channel, raising the question of whether TRP proteins simply play indirec...