In plasma membrane

In addition to intracellular heme-containing proteins, big-conductance calcium-dependent K+ (BKCa) channels and calcium-spark activated transient Kca channels in plasma membrane are also tar geted by CO [3]. As well known, nitric oxide (NO) also activates BKca channels in vascular smooth muscle cells. While both NO and CO open BKCa channels, CO mainly acts on alpha subunit of BKCa channels and NO mainly acts on beta subunit of BKca channels in vascular smooth muscle cells. Rather than a redundant machinery, CO and NO provide a coordinated regulation of BKca channel function by acting on different subunits of the same protein complex. Furthermore, pretreatment of vascular smooth muscle... 

In addition to secretory cells, many non-secretory cells are capable of regulating exocytotic fusion of transport vesicles that are derived from endosomal precursors. For instance, vesicles enriched in plasma membrane transport proteins are incorporated in a regulated manner in order to alter metabolite fluxes. Examples include the glucose transporter GLUT-4 in muscle and fat tissues, a key element in the control of... 

At present, the only available drug that stimulates glucose transport is insulin. Insulin increases the abundance of the GLUT4 in plasma membranes of adipose and muscle cells by its recruitment from intracellular storage sites (for a detailed description of its mechanism, see Chapter Diabetes Mellitus). 

Hypothermia slows down enzyme catalysis of enzymes in plasma membranes or organelle membranes, as well as enzymes floating around in the cytosol. The primary reason enzyme activity is decreased is related to the decrease in molecular motion by lowering the temperature as expressed in the Arrhenius relationship (k = where k is the rate constant of the reaction, Ea the activation energy,... 

Fig. 1.—Diagrammatic Representation of the Three Steps in the Taste-cell Transduction. Step 1, interaction of stimulus (S) with membrane-bound receptor (R) to form stimulus-receptor complex (SR) step 2, conformational change (SR) to (SR), brought about by interaction of S with R (this change initiates a change in plasma-membrane conformation of taste cells, probably below the level of the tight junction) and step 3, conformational changes of the membrane result in lowered membrane resistance, and the consequential influx on intracellular ionic species, probably Na. This influx generates the receptor potential which induces synaptic vesicular release to the innervating, sensory nerve, leading to the generator potential.

It is well recognized that is an important regulatory element for many cellular processes, and that the major entry pathway for Ca in many cell types is via plasma membrane Ca channels. Ca channels are functional pores in membranes. They exist in plasma membranes, transverse tubule membranes and in intracellular membranes such as the sarcoplasmic and endoplasmic reticulum. Ca channels are normally closed when opened, Ca passively flows through the chan-... 

There are several major classes of Ca channels (1) receptor-operated Ca channels in plasma membranes (2) ligand-gated Ca " channels in intracellular membranes and (3) voltage-dependent Ca channels that are usually found in plasma membranes or the invaginations of the plasma membrane that are known as transverse tubule membranes. Receptor-dependent or receptor-operated Ca channels (ROCCs) are primarily opened in response to activation of their associated receptors and, by definition, exhibit a certain amount of selectivity for Ca " over other cations. Several potentially different types of ROCCs have been characterized including ATP-sensitive channels in smooth muscle [1], mitogen and IP3-sensitive... 

P. Askerlund and C. Larsson, Transmembrane electron transport in plasma membrane vesicles loaded with an NADH-generating system or ascorbate. Plant Phy-.i-iol. 96 1178 (1991). 

Finally, an intriguing possible future therapy arises from a radical idea of Horrobin (2001) that schizophrenia is a nutritional disorder linked to a decreased intake of essential polyunsaturated fatty acids. Recent 31P-MRS studies have shown changes in plasma membrane phospholipids in the neocortex of unmedicated schizophrenics, which would have deleterious consequences on synaptic neurotransmission (Fukuzako, 2001). A clinical trial with the co6 fatty acid derivative ethyleicosa-pentaenoic acid (LAX-101) in patients who had been unresponsive to clozapine, reported that a daily dose of 2g LAX-101 gave a 26% improvement in symptoms over 12 weeks compared with 6% with placebo (Peet and Horrobin, 2001). Maybe in... 

Figure 4.4 Comparison of oxidase-dependent iron transport in mammals and yeast. In mammals, the plasma glycoprotein cerulpolasmin mediates iron oxidation, facilitating iron export from the cells and delivery to other tissues throughout the body. In yeast, Fet3p, an integral membrane protein mediates iron oxidation, resulting in plasma membrane iron transport through the permease Ftrlp. Reprinted from Askwith and Kaplan, 1998. Copyright (1998), with permission from Elsevier Science.

An ATP-dependent aminophospholipid translocase activity in plasma membranes prevents this occurrence in healthy cells. 

A variety of methods have been developed to study exocytosis. Neurotransmitter and hormone release can be measured by the electrical effects of released neurotransmitter or hormone on postsynaptic membrane receptors, such as the neuromuscular junction (NMJ see below), and directly by biochemical assay. Another direct measure of exocytosis is the increase in membrane area due to the incorporation of the secretory granule or vesicle membrane into the plasma membrane. This can be measured by increases in membrane capacitance (Cm). Cm is directly proportional to membrane area and is defined as Cm = QAJV, where Cm is the membrane capacitance in farads (F), Q is the charge across the membrane in coulombs (C), V is voltage (V) and Am is the area of the plasma membrane (cm2). The specific capacitance, Q/V, is the amount of charge that must be deposited across 1 cm2 of membrane to change the potential by IV. The specific capacitance, mainly determined by the thickness and dielectric constant of the phospholipid bilayer membrane, is approximately 1 pF/cm2 for intracellular organelles and the plasma membrane. Therefore, the increase in plasma membrane area due to exocytosis is proportional to the increase in Cm. 

SODIUM-DEPENDENT GLUTAMINE TRANSPORTERS IN PLASMA MEMBRANES MEDIATE THE TRANSFER OF GLUTAMINE FROM ASTROCYTES TO NEURONS 287... 

Fesenko, E., Kolesnikov, S. S. and Lyubarsky, A. L. Induction by cyclic GMP of cationic conductance in plasma membrane of retinal rod outer segment. Nature 313 310-313,1985. 

Pines, G. and Kanner, B. I. (1990) Counterflow of L-glutamate in plasma membrane vesicles and reconstituted preparations from rat brain. Biochemistry 29,11209-11214. 

Activation of NADPH-dependent superoxide production in plasma membrane extracts of pig neutrophils by phosphatidic acid. J. Biol. Chem. 263, 8210-14. 

Thus, selective oxidation and extemalization of PS in plasma membrane are likely to create conditions where oxidized PS on the external surface of the plasma membrane may act as a preferred ligand for macrophage receptor. 

Kawai, K., Tyurina, Y.Y, Tyurin, V.A., Kagan, V.E., and Fabisiak, J., 2000, Peroxidation and externalization of phosphatidylserine in plasma membrane of HL-60 ceUs during tert-butyl hydroperoxide-induced apoptosis Role of cytochrome c, The Toxicologist 54 SuppL 776. 

Phospholipid ( 9% of fatty acid in plasma membrane is arachidonic acid Koletzko, 1996)... 

Approximately 60% of the dry weight of the brain is fat, a considerable proportion of which is polyunsaturated fatty acids that are present in plasma membranes. It would not be surprising if replacement of the unsaturated acids by the saturated fatly acids in membrane structure due to a dietary deficiency of polyunsaturated fatty acids played some part in development of mental illness. Indeed, it has been found that supplementation of a normal diet with polyunsaturated fatly acids can improve some mental disorder (see chapter 11). 

Inositol Phosphatidylinositade bisphosphate is present in plasma membranes, where it is hydrolysed to produce inositol trisphosphate, an important intracellular messenger... 

---