Mechanosensitive Piezo channel:
modelling, animation, visualization

An interactive model of a Piezo channel’s opening based on the latest research data.¹ ² ³

Piezo channels transform membrane tension into ion currents—mechanical signals into electrical ones—helping to maintain the cardiovascular, urinary, and nervous systems, while also contributing to various pathologies.

Complex structure

Piezo stands out for its size and design. Key parts include the three blade-like transmembrane subunits, an extracellular cap, and the central pore, which together shape how force is captured and transmitted.

Unique opening sequence

When the membrane is pulled, Piezo senses the tension and begins to change shape: the membrane dome flattens, blades flatten and expand, the blades rotate, and the extracellular cap elevates, leading to the pore opening.

Citations

1. Ge, J., Li, W., Zhao, Q., et al. (2015). Architecture of the mammalian mechanosensitive Piezo1 channel. Nature.

2. De Vecchis, D., Beech, D.J., & Kalli, A.C. (2021). Molecular dynamics simulations of Piezo1 channel opening by increases in membrane tension. Biophysical Journal.

3. Peyronnet, R., Nerbonne, J.M., & Kohl, P. (2016). Cardiac Mechano-Gated Ion Channels and Arrhythmias. Circulation Research.

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