PIEZO2

Piezo-type mechanosensitive ion channel component 2 is a protein that in humans is encoded by the PIEZO2 gene. It has a homotrimeric structure, with three blades curving into a nano-dome, with a diameter of 28 nanometers.

Piezos are large transmembrane proteins conserved among various species, all having between 24 and 36 predicted transmembrane domains. 'Piezo' comes from the Greek 'piesi,' meaning 'pressure.' The PIEZO2 protein has a role in rapidly adapting mechanically activated (MA) currents in somatosensory neurons. Its structure is resolved via a mouse version in 2019, showing the predicted homotrimeric propeller.

PIEZO2 is typically found in cell types that respond to physical touch, such as Merkel cells, and is thought to regulate light touch response.

This article incorporates text from the United States National Library of Medicine, which is in the public domain.