A Strange Genetic Link Between Humans And Sea Anemones Was Just Confirmed

 

It has just been confirmed that the same gene that allows humans to hear is found in sea anemone and allows them to sense touch. An article on Sciencealert highlights the key information from the study. Essentially, it confirms that the evolution of our senses goes back hundreds of millions of years. This is because sea anemones are the closest relative to animals with bilateral symmetry. It was confirmed that this gene is responsible for sea anemones' sense of touch by knocking out the gene thought to be responsible, pou-iv. By knocking this gene out, the researchers found that the sea anemones' tentacles grew improperly and they did not respond to touch. This is an important discovery, and further research to find if the gene is found in ancestors even farther still needs to be done. 

Prosthetic skin can now feel touch

Prosthetic skin can now feel touch

by Andrew Smythe

Engineers at Stanford created a new kind of prosthetic limb that could sense and touch just like a human limb. The prosthetic limb has the capability of sensing any kind of touch, and sending a chemical signal to the brain. Zhenan Bao, a professor of chemical engineering at Stanford and main contributor of the project, hopes to create skin that could sense the differences between any kind of physical stimulus, feel temperature differences, and possibly heal itself in times of injury. The first step was achieved by making the pressure sensing limb.

Bao and her research team used a technique called optogenetics, which was created by Karl Deisseorth. The idea was that they could alter the cells to sense differences in light in order to deduce a change in environment. Dependent on the frequency of light available, the cells would turn on or off. If the cells were to be turned on, then they would send the electrical signal, and relay it to the neurons in the brain.

The next step for Bao's research group is to apply a two-ply plastic construct method. The top layer of the construct feels pressure against human skin, and the bottom layer would create a biochemical stimulus that would serve as a signal for the neurons. In addition to the six available biomechanisms of touch, the two-ply method would create more possible sensations for the limb to feel

Original Article

Other Article

Touch-Sensory Principle Protein Identified

The concept of touch and the mystery of how it is felt has always been a mystery in the scene of neuroscience. However, biologists at The Scripps Research Institute have identified a protein that brings about touch in mammals. Earlier in April 2014, TSRI was also the first to identify the dual-sensor system and nerve-touch sensation through relation to Merkel cells revealed by the supporting article. Last year, the same scientists discovered ion-channeled proteins Piezo1 and Piezo2 through studying its effects on mice. This year, they discover that only Piezo2 is the primary protein that when activated in Merkel cells, sends the feeling of touch through the nervous system. During the current study, they note that when Piezo2 protein is removed from newly bred mice (by deleting the gene!), all mice died at birth. However, when Piezo2 is removed during an adult stage of the mice's life, the mice is almost incapable of feeling light touches but still able to feel harsher pains through observation of reactions.

I found these articles interesting because I love any science that deals with the 5 senses because of the science involved that produce these sensations and now can come closer to understanding human existence. This neuroscience study included parts where scientists actually removed a whole protein gene from the mice which I found was interesting. The concept of touch can now be applied to how light and other sensations felt by touch can now be studied through these Piezo2 ion channels. I cannot wait for the next big discovery TSRI has to offer. 

Original: http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2014/12/141202161427.htm

Supporting: http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2014/04/140406162245.htm