Bioinformatic analysis of human CNS-expressed ion channels as candidates for episodic nervous system disorders

Neurogenetics ◽  
2007 ◽  
Vol 8 (3) ◽  
pp. 159-168 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jan Freudenberg ◽  
Ying-Hui Fu ◽  
Louis J. Ptáček
Author(s):  
Stefan Gründer

Acid-sensing ion channels (ASICs) are proton-gated Na+ channels. Being almost ubiquitously present in neurons of the vertebrate nervous system, their precise function remained obscure for a long time. Various animal toxins that bind to ASICs with high affinity and specificity have been tremendously helpful in uncovering the role of ASICs. We now know that they contribute to synaptic transmission at excitatory synapses as well as to sensing metabolic acidosis and nociception. Moreover, detailed characterization of mouse models uncovered an unanticipated role of ASICs in disorders of the nervous system like stroke, multiple sclerosis, and pathological pain. This review provides an overview on the expression, structure, and pharmacology of ASICs plus a summary of what is known and what is still unknown about their physiological functions and their roles in diseases.


2018 ◽  
Vol 38 (12) ◽  
pp. 3081-3091 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jan Kubanek ◽  
Poojan Shukla ◽  
Alakananda Das ◽  
Stephen A. Baccus ◽  
Miriam B. Goodman

2020 ◽  
Vol 318 (3) ◽  
pp. F531-F543 ◽  
Author(s):  
Marcelo D. Carattino ◽  
Nicolas Montalbetti

Acid-sensing ion channels (ASICs) are cation-permeable channels that in the periphery are primarily expressed in sensory neurons that innervate tissues and organs. Soon after the cloning of the ASIC subunits, almost 20 yr ago, investigators began to use genetically modified mice to assess the role of these channels in physiological processes. These studies provide critical insights about the participation of ASICs in sensory processes, including mechanotransduction, chemoreception, and nociception. Here, we provide an extensive assessment of these findings and discuss the current gaps in knowledge with regard to the functions of ASICs in the peripheral nervous system.


Author(s):  
Machiel J. Zwarts

Essential to all living creatures is the ability to convey information. In addition motor responses are required, for example running. This all is possible due to the ability of specialized cells to conduct information along the cell membrane by means of action potentials (AP) made possible by the charged cell membrane, which has selective permeability for different ions. Voltage and ligand sensitive ion channels are responsible for sudden changes in selective permeability of the membrane resulting in local depolarization of the membrane. The neuromuscular junction is a highly specialized region of the distal motor axon that is responsible for the transferring of activation from nerve to muscle. All these systems and subsystems can fail and a thorough understanding is necessary in order to understand the changes a clinical neurophysiologist can encounter while recording from the human nervous system in cases of disorders of brain, nerve and muscle.


Parasitology ◽  
1996 ◽  
Vol 113 (S1) ◽  
pp. S73-S82 ◽  
Author(s):  
K. L. Blair ◽  
P. A. V. Anderson

SUMMARYOur understanding of the neurobiology of the Platyhelminthes has come in large part from free-living turbellarians. In addition to providing considerable information about the capabilities of the rudimentary nervous system present in all members of the phylum, turbellarians have provided the most definitive information about the variety of ion channels present in the membranes of neurones and muscle cells, and about the physiology and pharmacology of those channels. Furthermore, preparations of single, viable muscle cells have provided some of the most conclusive evidence about the variety of transmitters present, and the types of response they evoke. Here, we review what is known about the physiology and pharmacology of the turbellarian neuromuscular system. Particular attention is given to the triclad flatworm Bdelloura Candida, the best studied species in this respect, but other species are included where relevant.


2020 ◽  
Vol 18 (10) ◽  
pp. 936-965
Author(s):  
Xuechao Hao ◽  
Mengchan Ou ◽  
Donghang Zhang ◽  
Wenling Zhao ◽  
Yaoxin Yang ◽  
...  

General anesthetics are a class of drugs that target the central nervous system and are widely used for various medical procedures. General anesthetics produce many behavioral changes required for clinical intervention, including amnesia, hypnosis, analgesia, and immobility; while they may also induce side effects like respiration and cardiovascular depressions. Understanding the mechanism of general anesthesia is essential for the development of selective general anesthetics which can preserve wanted pharmacological actions and exclude the side effects and underlying neural toxicities. However, the exact mechanism of how general anesthetics work is still elusive. Various molecular targets have been identified as specific targets for general anesthetics. Among these molecular targets, ion channels are the most principal category, including ligand-gated ionotropic receptors like γ-aminobutyric acid, glutamate and acetylcholine receptors, voltage-gated ion channels like voltage-gated sodium channel, calcium channel and potassium channels, and some second massager coupled channels. For neural functions of the central nervous system, synaptic transmission is the main procedure for which information is transmitted between neurons through brain regions, and intact synaptic function is fundamentally important for almost all the nervous functions, including consciousness, memory, and cognition. Therefore, it is important to understand the effects of general anesthetics on synaptic transmission via modulations of specific ion channels and relevant molecular targets, which can lead to the development of safer general anesthetics with selective actions. The present review will summarize the effects of various general anesthetics on synaptic transmissions and plasticity.


2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Montserrat Olivares Costa ◽  
Fernando Faunes ◽  
María Estela Andrés

Abstract ObjectiveThe objectives of this work were to find genes regulated by Nur77 in neurons and to evaluate the possible common role of this transcription factor in neurons and lymphatic cells using published experimentally generated databases of ChIP-Seq and a microarray. We also characterized Nur77 binding throughout the genome. ResultsWe identified 113 Nur77 target genes in neuronal stem cells and 116 in neuronal cells. Cell adhesion and anchoring processes emerged as regulated by Nur77 in neurons and lymphatic cells. We found 9 common genes regulated by Nur77. Finally, we described a significant distribution of Nur77 binding sites in strong enhancers and active promoters. This work is a first step to understand the role of Nur77 and its common targets in neurons and immune cells.


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