Feeling the force: PIEZO ion channels in interoception

Dr. Kara Marshall is an assistant professor of Neuroscience at Baylor College of Medicine.

The Marshall lab studies how mechanosensory molecules and cells—those that sense forces like pressure and stretch—regulate physiology. Inside our bodies, various organs distend and contract as they perform their functions, and embedded neurons monitor and transmit the resulting mechanical sensations to the brain to guide the appropriate behaviors. For example, stretch sensors in the stomach initiate digestion and mediate the sensation of fullness, and bladder stretch alerts us to find a bathroom. Despite their importance, the mechanosensory systems that govern these processes are not understood. We previously have found that the mechanosensory PIEZO ion channels are critical for a number of interoceptive functions, and we continue using these sensors as genetic handles to understand how mechanosensation contributes to physiology in health and disease. We will extend this work to delineate how the brain integrates mechanical cues from the body mediate internal pain and complex behaviors.

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Hosted by Dr. Amy Lee

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