The mammalian gut is self-sufficient. Its contents are physically isolated from the rest of the body by the intestinal lining, which forms a semipermeable barrier that allows the gut to digest food while confining potential foodborne pathogens.1 The vast network of nerve cells embedded in the intestinal lining—known as the “second brain”—interacts with sensory cells that assess the chemical and physical properties of the gut’s contents. This elegant system coordinates digestion autonomously, even if the vagus nerve—the main nerve carrying signals between the gut and brain—is cut.2
In a study published in Gastroenterology, Arthur Beyder, a gastroenterologist and associate professor at the Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minnesota, and his team examined the role of mechanically-sensitive cells in the gut lining of mice.3 Similar to touch sensors in the skin, gut touch cells have specialized proteins called Piezo2 ion channels embedded in their membranes.4,5 Named for their piezoelectric properties—the ability of ...
