No / The molecular identity of ion channels which confer PCO(2)/pH sensitivity in the brain is unclear. Heteromeric Kir4.1/Kir5.1 channels are highly sensitive to inhibition by intracellular pH and are widely expressed in several brainstem nuclei involved in cardiorespiratory control, including the locus coeruleus. This has therefore led to a proposed role for these channels in neuronal CO(2) chemosensitivity. To examine this, we generated mutant mice lacking the Kir5.1 (Kcnj16) gene. We show that although locus coeruleus neurons from Kcnj16((+/+)) mice rapidly respond to cytoplasmic alkalinization and acidification, those from Kcnj16((-/-)) mice display a dramatically reduced and delayed response. These results identify Kir5.1 as an important determinant of PCO(2)/pH sensitivity in locus coeruleus neurons and suggest that Kir5.1 may be involved in the response to hypercapnic acidosis.
| Identifer | oai:union.ndltd.org:BRADFORD/oai:bradscholars.brad.ac.uk:10454/5950 |
| Date | January 2011 |
| Creators | D'Adamo, M.C., Shang, Lijun, Imbrici, P., Brown, S.D.M., Pessia, M., Tucker, S.J. |
| Source Sets | Bradford Scholars |
| Language | English |
| Detected Language | English |
| Type | Article, No full-text in the repository |
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