Channeling Force in the Brain: Mechanosensitive Ion Channels Choreograph Mechanics and Malignancies

Author(s):  
Ali Momin ◽  
Shahrzad Bahrampour ◽  
Hyun-Kee Min ◽  
Xin Chen ◽  
Xian Wang ◽  
...  
Mathematics ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 9 (4) ◽  
pp. 323
Author(s):  
Martina Nicoletti ◽  
Letizia Chiodo ◽  
Alessandro Loppini

Mechanosensing is a key feature through which organisms can receive inputs from the environment and convert them into specific functional and behavioral outputs. Mechanosensation occurs in many cells and tissues, regulating a plethora of molecular processes based on the distribution of forces and stresses both at the cell membrane and at the intracellular organelles levels, through complex interactions between cells’ microstructures, cytoskeleton, and extracellular matrix. Although several primary and secondary mechanisms have been shown to contribute to mechanosensation, a fundamental pathway in simple organisms and mammals involves the presence of specialized sensory neurons and the presence of different types of mechanosensitive ion channels on the neuronal cell membrane. In this contribution, we present a review of the main ion channels which have been proven to be significantly involved in mechanotransduction in neurons. Further, we discuss recent studies focused on the biological mechanisms and modeling of mechanosensitive ion channels’ gating, and on mechanotransduction modeling at different scales and levels of details.


2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jung-uk Lee ◽  
Wookjin Shin ◽  
Yongjun Lim ◽  
Jungsil Kim ◽  
Woon Ryoung Kim ◽  
...  

2021 ◽  
Vol 22 (14) ◽  
pp. 7277
Author(s):  
Federica Cherchi ◽  
Irene Bulli ◽  
Martina Venturini ◽  
Anna Maria Pugliese ◽  
Elisabetta Coppi

Multiple sclerosis (MS) is the most demyelinating disease of the central nervous system (CNS) characterized by neuroinflammation. Oligodendrocyte progenitor cells (OPCs) are cycling cells in the developing and adult CNS that, under demyelinating conditions, migrate to the site of lesions and differentiate into mature oligodendrocytes to remyelinate damaged axons. However, this process fails during disease chronicization due to impaired OPC differentiation. Moreover, OPCs are crucial players in neuro-glial communication as they receive synaptic inputs from neurons and express ion channels and neurotransmitter/neuromodulator receptors that control their maturation. Ion channels are recognized as attractive therapeutic targets, and indeed ligand-gated and voltage-gated channels can both be found among the top five pharmaceutical target groups of FDA-approved agents. Their modulation ameliorates some of the symptoms of MS and improves the outcome of related animal models. However, the exact mechanism of action of ion-channel targeting compounds is often still unclear due to the wide expression of these channels on neurons, glia, and infiltrating immune cells. The present review summarizes recent findings in the field to get further insights into physio-pathophysiological processes and possible therapeutic mechanisms of drug actions.


2021 ◽  
pp. 203730
Author(s):  
Brenda Canales Coutiño ◽  
Roberto Mayor

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