Intracellular photorelease of caged D-myo-inositol 1,4,5-trisphosphate (IP(3)), caffeine application, and immunofluorescence confocal microscopy were used to determine that D-myo-inositol 1,4,5-trisphosphate receptors (IP(3)Rs) and ryanodine receptors (RyRs) coexist in rabbit vagal sensory nodose ganglion neurons (NGNs). ATP, an extracellular physiological signaling molecule, consistently evoke...

Hair bundles on tentacles of sea anemones are similar to vertebrate hair bundles in terms of structure and function. Anemone hair bundles are involved in regulating discharge of nematocysts, "stinging capsules," used to capture prey. N-acetylated sugars from the prey including N-acetylneuraminic acid (NANA) induce hair bundles to elongate while shifting vibration dependent discharge of nematocy...

Chronic treatment with the immunosuppressive drug rapamycin leads to hypertension; however, the mechanisms are unknown. Rapamycin binds FK506 binding protein 12 and its related isoform 12.6 (FKBP12/12.6) and displaces them from intracellular Ca2+ release channels (ryanodine receptors) eliciting a Ca2+ leak from the endoplasmic/sarcoplasmic reticulum. We tested whether this Ca2+ leak promotes co...