Ardem Patapoutian

The paper introduces a method combining CRISPRa and FM 1-43 to screen for cation channels by overexpressing targets and detecting activity with fluorescent labeling.

Deleting Piezo1 and Piezo2 together in mice weakens uterine contractions and prolongs labor; uterine and sensory-neuron deletions act additively, and knockout uteri show reduced Gja1 (connexin43).

The paper identifies PIEZO2 as a key mechanosensitive ion channel in adipose sensory innervation and shows its role in regulating adipose tissue phenotypes.

The paper shows that PIEZO2 in dorsal root ganglia neurons regulates gut motility by sensing mechanical stretch, affecting gastrointestinal transit.

The paper shows that a gain-of-function PIEZO2 mutation in sensory neurons causes joint contractures in mice, and that Botox and dietary fatty acids can alleviate these defects.

The paper uses FM 1-43 dye to identify PIEZO2-expressing neurons involved in mechanosensation, revealing its role in urethral neurons during urination.

This study identifies heterozygous TMEM63A variants causing transient hypomyelination in infancy, with clinical improvement over time.