Although it has been more than fifty years since the neurotrophins were first discovered we are only now starting to …
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GABA(A) Receptor Family
GABA (γ-aminobutyric acid) is the major inhibitory neurotransmitter in the brain. Its production, release, reuptake and metabolism occur in the …
Endothelins and Urotensin II
Endothelins (ET-1,2,3) and Urotensin II are peptides that are considered to be very powerful vasoconstrictive substances. In humans, endothelins mediate …
Acid-Sensing Ion Channels: Structure and Function
In the last two years, increasing evidence has implicated the ASIC channels in an astounding range of physiological functions including …
The KV7 (KCNQ)
The KV7 family of K+ channels is part of the larger voltage-dependent K+ channels superfamily. In a family that comprises …
Ion Channels and Cancer
During the last few years a pivotal role for ion channels involvement in cancer has emerged. In Modulator #17, we reviewed examples of possible roles and interplay between ion channels and cancer. Recently, a large body of data has accumulated on the participation of K+, Na+, Ca2+, Cl– and ligand-gated channels in cancer and apoptosis. To date, there is no broad consensus on the roles ion channels play in cancer. Ion channels are thought to “assist” cancer by affecting a number of pathways, namely, regulation of cell cycle of proliferating cells, perturbation of membrane potential, prevention of apoptosis, adaptation to harsh conditions, altering intracellular Ca2+ balance, and cell shrinkage. Interestingly, there are some examples of the same ion channel participating both in induction of cancer cell proliferation and in
P2Y Receptor Family
P2Y receptors mediate the actions of the extracellular nucleotides (ATP, ADP, UTP and UDP) and regulate several physiologic responses, among …
The KV4 Channel Subfamily (Shal)
Transient (“A-Type”), voltage-dependent K+ currents play important roles in both neurons, cardiac myocytes and smooth muscles. The KV4 channels subfamily …
Ion Channels and Epithelial Tissue Function
Epithelial cells form a dynamic barrier that separates different physiological compartments. On one hand they provide a physical barrier that …
Contribution of Ion Channels in Pain Sensation
Many ion channels are located at the nociceptor peripheral terminal, affecting neuron excitability after injury and as a result affecting …