Mechanical transduction by ion channels: A cautionary tale

Figure 9 There are no PIEZO1 currents in this resting whole-cell recording unless the cell are indented (the red trace labelled indent shows the stimuli). The inhibitor GsMtx4 is effective in suppressing the stimulus-induced current but causes no change in the holding current. The stimuli are activated by computer control (http://www.qub.buffalo.edu). The baseline current (green arrow at left) is not affected by adding the D or the L enantiomers of GsMtx4, but the currents that are evoked by indentation are inhibited. Thus, tension in the resting cell is insufficient to activate PIEZO1.