Two models have been proposed in explaining the gating mechanism of MS channels: membrane-mediated mechanism and trapdoor mechanism. The trapdoor mechanism is responsible for the opening of ion channels in hair cell. However, more evidence now indicate that the gating of MscL specifically is moderated by the membrane-mediated mechanism, which relies on changes in membrane thickness or curvature that can alter the energetic balance of embedded proteins. This is supported by the observations that variations in the thickness of the phospholipid bilayer or the addition of compounds that induce spontaneous membrane curvature directly impact the tension required to open MscL.