PIEZO2 tagged posts

Gastrointestinal and digestive issues impact roughly 3 million people across the United States alone, and that number is growing. A new study from Scripps Research scientists shows how sensory neurons control our gastrointestinal tracts — critical information that could shape our understanding of related diseases and disorders.

The study, published in the journal Cell on Aug. 3rd, 2023, used a combination of human clinical data and animal models to reveal that the receptor PIEZO2 controls gastrointestinal transit through the stomach, small intestine, and colon by sensing the presence of food and slowing the rate of gut motility accordingly...

Targeting a receptor responsible for our sense of touch and temperature, which researchers have now found to be present in our colon, could provide a new avenue for treating chronic pain associated with gastrointestinal disorders such as irritable bowel syndrome.

A team examining the colon, led by Professor Hongzhen Hu at Washington University and Professor Nick Spencer at Flinders University, identified the presence of Piezo2, the subject of the 2021 Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine, now known to be responsible for sensing light touch on our skin.

“In discovering that this receptor is also in our gut, there’s the potential that selectively targeting these channels could be used for long-term silencing of pain sensations from internal organs, without the need for frequent c...

Unlocking the mysteries of our senses: An NIH Study shows that two young patients with a mutation in the PIEZO2 have problems with touch and proprioception, or body awareness. Credit: Bönnemann Lab, NIH/NINDS, Bethesda, MD

Study of rare genetic disorder reveals importance of touch and body awareness. With the help of 2 young patients with a unique neurological disorder, an initial study by scientists at the NIH suggests that a gene called PIEZO2 controls specific aspects of human touch and proprioception, a “sixth sense” describing awareness of one’s body in space. Mutations in the gene caused the 2 to have movement and balance problems and the loss of some forms of touch...