signaling-pathways
Piezo1 is a mechanosensitive ion channel that converts mechanical cues into electrochemical signals by permitting calcium influx when the plasma membrane is deformed or placed under tension. It is one of the principal mechanotransducers by which adherent cells read the rigidity of their surroundings, alongside integrins and the YAP/TAZ pathway, and is increasingly recognized as a modulator of cancer cell metabolism.
Calcium entering through Piezo1 can be relayed to mitochondria, including at mitochondria-endoplasmic reticulum contact sites, which couples mechanical input to mitochondrial bioenergetics. The spider-venom peptide GsMTx4 is commonly used to block Piezo1-mediated calcium influx experimentally.
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Source papers
- Chemotherapy-induced senescence promotes stroma stiffness and antioxidant adaptation to promote chemoresistance in pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma doi:10.1038/s41467-026-75772-5