The rockefeller university

Stochastic mechanisms diversify cell fate in organisms ranging from

Sialyl Lewis A (sLeA, also known as CA19-9), a tetrasaccharide

IgG antibodies are secreted from B cells and bind to a variety of

We interviewed our Early Career Advisory Board to learn about their

During mammalian embryogenesis, extensive cellular remodeling is needed

PIEZO1 is a mechanosensitive channel that converts applied force into electrical signals. Partial molecular structures show that PIEZO1 is a bowl-shaped trimer with extended arms. Here we use cryo-electron microscopy to show that PIEZO1 adopts different degrees of curvature in lipid vesicles of different sizes. We also use high-speed atomic force microscopy to analyse the deformability of PIEZO1 under force in membranes on a mica surface, and show that PIEZO1 can be flattened reversibly into the membrane plane. By approximating the absolute force applied, we estimate a range of values for the mechanical spring constant of PIEZO1. Both methods of microscopy demonstrate that PIEZO1 can deform its shape towards a planar structure. This deformation could explain how lateral membrane tension can be converted into a conformation-dependent change in free energy to gate the PIEZO1 channel in response to mechanical perturbations

BACKGROUND: Previous studies identified several separate risk factors

Although fate maps of early embryos exist for nearly all model