Activation of Mechanosensitive Ion Channels by Forces Transmitted Through Integrins and the Cytoskeleton

Abstract

Publisher Summary Mechanosensitive (MS) ion channels play a central role in the process of cellular mechanotransduction by which living cells convert mechanical signals into chemical and electrical responses. Current views on the mechanism of MS channel gating focus entirely on local modulation by plasma membrane tension or by ‘‘gating springs'’ within the underlying submembranous cytoskeleton (CSK). Cells within many solid tissues experience mechanical stresses that are transmitted over extracellular matrix (ECM) scaffolds to specific transmembrane integrin receptors. The tensegrity model suggests that certain MS channels might be activated by external forces that are transmitted across integrins and associated cytoskeletal molecules with in focal adhesions or the deeper CSK, rather than through direct lipid bilayer distortion alone. The chapter describes this potential mechanism for integrin‐dependent activation of MS channels and discusses potential molecular mediators of this response. The chapter also reviews recent advances in this area.