Regulation of somatosensory ion channels activated by mechanical stimuli

PIEZO2 mediates rapidly adapting mechanically activated currents in somatosensory neurons and is essential for light touch and proprioception. This review focuses on how cellular signaling pathways, membrane lipids, associated proteins, and the cytoskeleton regulate PIEZO2 channels and the related PIEZO1. The molecular identity of other excitatory mechanically activated cation channels in somatosensory neurons is not yet firmly established. Candidate proteins for such channels will be briefly discussed, along with the regulation of mechanically activated two-pore domain potassium channels (K2P) in the TREK subfamily, which modulate excitability in sensory neurons.