ASIC2 encodes an acid-sensing ion channel subunit that forms pH-gated trimeric sodium channels functioning as postsynaptic excitatory sensors in the nervous system 1. Upon extracellular acidification, ASIC2 generates rapid, transient inward sodium currents that fully desensitize 1. ASIC2 heterodimerizes with ASIC1 to modulate acid-evoked currents and facilitate synaptic targeting 2. Mechanistically, ASIC2 plays critical roles in mechanosensation, with prominent expression in human dorsal root ganglia neurons and mechanoreceptors including Meissner and Pacinian corpuscles 3. ASIC2 synergizes with TRPV1 in mechanotransduction of arterial baroreceptors, where the proteins form a functional complex essential for pressure-dependent neural discharge 4. In the medial prefrontal cortex, ASIC2 modulates social dominance behavior through cell-subtype-specific effects on excitatory and inhibitory neurons 5. Clinically, ASIC2 dysfunction associates with cardiovascular homeostasis dysregulation. In hypertensive rats and heart failure, decreased ASIC2 expression in baroreceptor afferents contributes to sympatho-vagal imbalance and increased mortality risk 6. ASIC2 also modulates fear and panic responses 2, suggesting potential involvement in anxiety and mood disorders. Epigenetic dysregulation through promoter methylation occurs in glioma cells 7, indicating broader disease relevance.