Events

Among our senses, mechanical-sensing is the least well understood in part due to the difficulties in identifying and studying mechanical-sensitive channels that mediate the fist step of mechano-sensing. A group of Drosophila sensory neurons known as dendritic arborization (da) neurons have been used extensively for studying dendrite morphogenesis. It turns out that all da neurons are mechanical-sensitve and they are well suited for studying mechanical-sensitive channels such as Piezo, NompC and TMC. I will discuss our recent progress in this research area. There is also increasing evidence that mechano-sensitive channels play significant roles in several developmental processes. I will talk about their roles in axon/dendrite regeneration.