Sliding doors: heteromeric, volume-sensitive osmolyte channels

Influence of the extracellular matrix and integrins on volume-sensitive osmolyte anion channels in C2C12 myoblasts.

The purpose of this study was to determine whether extracellular matrix (ECM) composition through integrin receptors modulated the volume-sensitive osmolyte anion channels (VSOACs) in skeletal muscle-derived C2C12 cells. Cl(-) currents were recorded in whole cell voltage-clamped cells grown on laminin (LM), fibronectin (FN), or in the absence of a defined ECM (NM). Basal membrane currents recor...

Role of volume-stimulated osmolyte and anion channels in volume regulation by mammalian sperm.

The ability to maintain cellular volume is an important general physiological function. Swelling induced by hypotonic stress results in the opening of channels, through which ions exit with accompanying water loss (regulatory volume decrease, RVD). RVD has been shown to occur in mammalian sperm, primarily through the opening of quinine-sensitive potassium channels. However, as yet, direct evide...

Volume-Sensitive Chloride Channels Do Not

Cholesterol regulates volume-sensitive osmolyte efflux from human SH-SY5Y neuroblastoma cells following receptor activation.

The ability of cholesterol to modulate receptor-mediated increases in the volume-dependent release of the organic osmolyte, taurine, has been examined. Depletion of cholesterol from SH-SY5Y neuroblastoma by preincubation of the cells with 5 mM methyl-beta-cyclodextrin (CD) for 10 min resulted in a 40 to 50% reduction in cholesterol and an enhancement of the ability of proteinase-activated recep...

Mammalian ASIC2a and ASIC3 subunits co-assemble into heteromeric proton-gated channels sensitive to Gd3+.

Proton receptors of the acid-sensing ion channel (ASIC) family are expressed in sensory neurons and thus could play a critical role in the detection of noxious acidosis. To investigate the subunit composition of native ASICs in peripheral and central neurons, we co-injected human as well as rodent ASIC2a and ASIC3 subunits in Xenopus oocytes. The amplitudes of acid-induced biphasic responses me...