Abstract
Biochemical Basis of Touch Perception: Mechanosensory Function of Degenerin/Epithelial Na+ Channels
Highlights
Anatomical and Physiological Components of MechanosensationPrevious research has taught us much about the bases for the sense of touch. At the behavioral level, psychometric studies in humans have distinguished several distinct cutaneous sensory inputs [6]
Hair follicles, and free nerve endings (Fig. 1A) [7]
Investigators have identified a variety of specialized cutaneous sensory structures; some examples include Meissner corpuscles, Merkel cell-neurite complexes, lanceolate and pilo-Ruffini fibers surrounding
Summary
Previous research has taught us much about the bases for the sense of touch. At the behavioral level, psychometric studies in humans have distinguished several distinct cutaneous sensory inputs [6]. Other members open with application of extracellular ligands; examples are the FMRF amide-activated Naϩ channel (FaNaCh) from Helix aspersa [15] and three extracellular acidactivated mammalian channels, BNC1, ASIC, and DRASIC (16 –18) (Table I) Still other members such as the Drosophila Pickpocket [19] have not yet been shown to conduct ions. BNC1 lies in several cutaneous mechanosensory structures, including pacinian corpuscles, Meissner corpuscles, Merkel cell-neurite complexes, and lanceolate nerve endings surrounding the hair shaft (Fig. 3C) [22, 23]. Their location positions DEG/ENaC channels where they can detect tactile stimuli. The dynamic sensitivity of these mechanoreceptors is critically important for the perception and discrimination of touch sensation [6]
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