Piezo3 is a novel mechanosensitive Piezo ion channel in vertebrates - PubMed
4 hours ago
- #Piezo3
- #mechanosensitive ion channel
- #vertebrate evolution
- Discovery of Piezo3, a novel mechanosensitive ion channel in vertebrates, identified as a paralog of Piezo1 and Piezo2.
- Piezo3 is present in most vertebrate lineages but absent in birds and most mammals, likely due to nonfunctionalization after whole-genome duplications.
- Functional studies show Piezo3 mediates calcium flux in response to mechanical stimuli in HEK293T cells, similar to Piezo1/2 activation and conduction.
- CRISPR mutation analysis in zebrafish reveals piezo3 is not developmentally essential but mutants exhibit increased sensitivity to mechanical force and higher locomotor activity under light.
- Piezo3's widespread distribution across vertebrates and absence in certain lineages suggest it may play roles in mechanical sensing and light response adaptation during evolution.