Mechanobiology

Scoping a GO review of the genes that sense and transmit force

AI Gene Review · projects/MECHANOBIOLOGY · scoping · 2026

Bottom line

  • Cells sense stiffness, shear, stretch and membrane tension through PIEZO channels, integrin adhesions, the nuclear lamina and YAP/TAZ; GO mixes true sensors with generic adhesion and ECM terms.
  • The page defines inclusion criteria, six modules and 30 candidate genes in five batches, and a stimulus → sensor → axis → phenotype chain for every review.
  • Scoped, not started. No Batch A–D gene has a review; four matrix genes (FN1, LOX, SPARC, DCN) were reviewed for other purposes.

The landscape to review

Why scope it this way

  • Separate the few direct sensors from the many effectors and ECM genes.
  • Watch for over-broad terms: cell adhesion, ECM organization, actin binding, response to mechanical stimulus.
  • Prefer evidence from a defined mechanical perturbation, not a generic migration or adhesion assay.
  • Use disease anchors (fibrosis, invasion, endothelial flow, kidney cilia) to pick batches, not to make claims.
  • Adapted from cmungall/stuff#671, minus the ontology and platform ambitions.

Where the candidates stand

Status and next steps

  • ⬜ Batch A: PIEZO1, PIEZO2, TRPV4, PKD1, PKD2 (just fetch-gene human <GENE> then review).
  • ⬜ Re-read FN1, LOX, SPARC, DCN against the mechanical-chain questions.
  • ⬜ Batches B–D, then a stimulus / sensor / axis / phenotype summary table.
  • ⬜ List recurring GO pain points only after several batches.

Read more: projects/MECHANOBIOLOGY.md