Skin protein found to use physical tension to control tissue growth

Skin protein found to use physical tension to control tissue growth

Investigators at Johns Hopkins Medicine report new evidence that the protein Piezo1 controls skin growth by detecting when skin is stretched and then coordinating the metabolic and immune changes necessary for growth. Experts say the findings could ultimately help doctors develop noninvasive therapeutic approaches to create new skin for treating burns and other injuries that require a skin graft.

Skin Protein Harnesses Physical Tension to Regulate Tissue Growth

A newly unveiled molecular mechanism sheds light on how human skin senses and responds to physical tension, orchestrating its own expansion and growth. Researchers at Johns Hopkins Medicine have identified the protein Piezo1 as a critical mechanosensor that detects stretching forces in the skin, triggering a cascade of metabolic and immune responses necessary for skin proliferation. This groundbreaking discovery, published recently in Nature Com…