Polycystins: from mechanosensation to gene regulation.
Polycystin proteins have been suggested to form mechanosensory transduction complexes involved in a variety of biological functions including sperm fertilization, mating behavior, and asymmetric gene expression in different species. Furthermore, their dysfunction is the cause of cyst formation in human kidney disease. This review focuses on the pros and cons of their candidacy as mechanically gated channels and on recent findings that have significantly advanced our physiological insight.
Delmas
Patrick
P
Laboratoire de Neurophysiologie Cellulaire, CNRS-UMR 6150, Faculté de Médecine, IFR Jean Roche, Bd. Pierre Dramard, 13916 Marseille Cedex 20, France. delmas.p@jean-roche.univ-mrs.fr
D000818:Animals; D002462:Cell Membrane / Q000378:metabolism / Q000648:ultrastructure; D002923:Cilia / Q000378:metabolism / Q000648:ultrastructure; D004847:Epithelial Cells / Q000378:metabolism / Q000648:ultrastructure; D005786:Gene Expression Regulation / Q000235:genetics*; D006801:Humans; D015640:Ion Channel Gating / Q000235:genetics*; D007473:Ion Channels / Q000378:metabolism; D040542:Mechanotransduction, Cellular / Q000235:genetics*; D008958:Models, Molecular; D007690:Polycystic Kidney Diseases / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D011506:Proteins / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism*; D050396:TRPP Cation Channels
D007473:Ion Channels; D011506:Proteins; D050396:TRPP Cation Channels