A Cross-Species Analysis Reveals a General Role for Piezo2 in Mechanosensory Specialization of Trigeminal Ganglia from Tactile Specialist Birds (Cell Reports)

Schneider et al. perform a cross-species analysis of somatosensory neurons from tactile specialist birds. The study reveals a trade-off in the expansion of Piezo2-containing neuronal touch receptors at the expense of temperature and pain receptors as part of a general mechanism that accompanies mechanosensory specialization.