Synergy between Piezo1 and Piezo2 channels confers high-strain mechanosensitivity to articular cartilage.

ABSTRACT: Diarthrodial joints are essential for load bearing and locomotion. Physiologically, articular cartilage sustains millions of cycles of mechanical loading. Chondrocytes, the cells in cartilage, regulate their metabolic activities in response to mechanical loading. Pathological mechanical stress can lead to maladaptive cellular responses and subsequent cartilage degeneration. We sought to deconstruct chondrocyte mechanotransduction by identifying mechanosensitive ion channels functioning at injurious levels of strain. We detected robust expression of the recently identified mechanosensitive channels, PIEZO1 and PIEZO2. Combined directed expression of Piezo1 and -2 sustained potentiated mechanically induced Ca(2+) signals and electrical currents compared with single-Piezo expression. In prima

SUBMITTER: Lee W 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC4250098 | biostudies-literature | 2014 Nov

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature