Discovery of Piezo1's new signaling mechanism may aid search for better pain and itch treatments

The human body's sense of touch is so important it can be found throughout the body, not just on the skin. Two tiny sensors of touch, Piezo1 and Piezo2, signal the lightest pressures and can be found monitoring the circulatory system, telling the body where its limbs are in space, and even sounding the alarm for bladder pressure. But a new study from Duke University shows that Piezo1 works differently than everyone thought.