MECHANOSENSITIVITY OF CATIONIC CHANNELS OF DEG/ENaC FAMILY
D. V. Vachugova,1 E. A. Morachevskaya
Institute of Cytology RAS, St. Petersburg;
1 e-mail: tarja.vdv@gmail.com
The presented article is aimed to review modern insights into the possible role of epithelial sodium channels (ENaCs) of the DEG/ENaC family in mechanosensitivity of
cells. Contradictory results gained during previuos years at the study of native channels in the cells of renal epithelium and channels overexpressed in different model
systems are discussed. The variety of methods used to reveal channel mechanosensity is specially reviewed. We have also focused our attention on the explanation of the
functional role of mechanosensitivity in polarized kidney cells. The data reviewed allow us to conlude that ENaC is a mechanosensitive channel which is activated in response
to laminar shear stress of renal epithelial cells. Possible molecular basis of the ENaC activation by shear forces is discussed.
Key words: epithelial sodium channel, ENaC, degenerins, mechanosensitivity, mechanotransduction, polarized kidney cell
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