Fig. 4.

Piezo1 channels are flow sensors in endothelium of mesenteric resistance artery. Data are for ionic current recordings from outside-out patches excised from freshly isolated endothelium of second-order mesenteric arteries. a Example recording at −70 mV. Two sections are expanded to clarify unitary current events (C: channel closed) (O: 1, 2 or 3 simultaneous channel openings). The patch was placed at the outlet of a capillary from which flowed ionic solution at 20 μl s⁻¹. Gadolinium ion (Gd³⁺, 10 μM). b Mean unitary current amplitudes for channels activated by flow as in a (n = 10). c Mean channel activity (NP_o: number × probability of opening) for experiments of the type exemplified in a for no flow and flow conditions and the two genotypes (Control and Piezo1^ΔEC). Individual data points for each independent experiment are shown as symbols, superimposed on which are the mean ± s.e.m. values (n = 10 for each group). d Example original trace for a patch from Piezo1^ΔEC endothelium exposed to 20 μl s⁻¹ flow. Averaged data are displayed as mean ± s.e.m. Data sets are compared by t-test. Statistical significance is indicated by ***P < 0.001