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SUMMARY:Adrian Seminar Series - Annual Lecture &quot\;How Do You Feel? Ion
  channels that sense mechanical force&quot\; - Ardem Patapoutian\, The Scr
 ipps Research Institute\, California
DTSTART:20161121T163000Z
DTEND:20161121T180000Z
UID:TALK67478@talks.cam.ac.uk
CONTACT:Lyn Dakin
DESCRIPTION:Mechanotransduction is perhaps the last sensory modality not u
 nderstood at the molecular level. Proteins/ion channels that sense mechani
 cal force are postulated to play critical roles in sensing touch/pain (som
 atosensation)\, sound (hearing)\, sheer stress (cardiovascular function)\,
  etc.\; however\, the identity of ion channels involved in sensing mechani
 cal force has remained elusive. We identified Piezo1 and Piezo2\, mechanic
 ally-activated cation channels that are expressed in many mechanosensitive
  cell types. We demonstrated that Piezos constitute an evolutionarily cons
 erved family of mechanically-activated cation channels. We further showed 
 that Piezo1 is a shear stress sensor in vascular endothelial cells\, while
  Piezo2 is the major transducer of mechanical forces for touch sensation i
 n mice. Current efforts focus on understanding structure-function relation
 ship of Piezo proteins\, and elucidating their physiological roles in vari
 ous biological processes and diseases that depend on mechanotransduction. 
 Finally\, we are searching for novel mechanosensors.\n\n\n
LOCATION:The Physiology Lecture Theatre\, Department of Physiology\, Devel
 opment and Neuroscience
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