Tendon-specific PIEZO1 activation enhances neural drive to muscle during ballistic movement

Tendon-specific PIEZO1 gain-of-function in male mice increases gastrocnemius EMG amplitude at maximum jump distance, with unchanged burst duration and deeper dorsiflexion before takeoff.

• Why it matters: It is unclear whether altering tendon mechanics changes neural drive during movement, despite Golgi tendon organ afferents that can modulate motor neurons.
• What they did: Male mice with a tendon-specific PIEZO1 gain-of-function mutation were tested during jumping while recording gastrocnemius and tibialis anterior EMG and ankle kinematics across jump distances.
• The result: At maximum jump distance, the GOF mice showed larger gastrocnemius EMG without burst-duration changes and a deeper peak dorsiflexion, with EMG differences emerging after maximal dorsiflexion; muscle mass and myogenic gene expression were unchanged while tendon marker genes were elevated.

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