Ion channel activation

Other, more general effects of insulin on cellular function include stimulation of cell growth (increase in DNA and protein synthesis), inhibition of apoptosis, and modulation of ion-channel activity. 

Pinto EH, Holsinger LJ, Lamb RA (1992) Influenza virus M2 protein has ion channel activity. Cell 69 517-528... 

J Ubl, H Murer, HA Kolb. Ion channels activated by osmotic and mechanical stress in membranes of opossum kidney cells. J Membrane Biol 104 223-232, 1988. 

The action potential generated in the ventricular muscle is very different from that originating in the SA node. The resting membrane potential is not only stable it is much more negative than that of the SA node. Second, the slope of the depolarization phase of the action potential is much steeper. Finally, there is a lengthy plateau phase of the action potential in which the muscle cells remain depolarized for approximately 300 msec. The physiological significance of this sustained depolarization is that it leads to sustained contraction (also about 300 msec), which facilitates ejection of blood. These disparities in the action potentials are explained by differences in ion channel activity in ventricular muscle compared to the SA node. 

Annexins Phospholipid- and membrane-binding proteins involved in the regulation of cell growth, coagulation, mediation of secretion, signal transduction, and ion channel activity link signaling to membrane dynamics... 

Postsynaptic mGluR activation modulates ion channel activity 283... 

Specific lipid messengers are cleaved from reservoir phospholipids by phospholipases upon activation by various stimuli. These stimuli include neurotransmitters, neurotrophic factors, cytokines, membrane depolarization, ion channel activation and others. Lipid messengers regulate and interact with multiple other signaling cascades, contributing to the development, differentiation, function, protection and repair of the cells of the nervous system. 

The SR may contribute to excitation-contraction (EC) coupling in two ways firstly, by the release of Ca2+ for contraction as described above, but secondly by modulating membrane excitability. As will be described elsewhere in this book, the SR is an important mediator of surface membrane ion channel activity, and hence, excitability. Spontaneous Ca2+ release from the SR can activate Ca2+-sensitive ion channels. Both K+ (Kca) and Cl- (Clsmooth muscle cell membrane can be activated by SR Ca2+. If Kca channels are activated there will be a hyperpolarization, as K+ ions leave the cell and spontaneous transient outward currents (STOCs) can be recorded (Carl et al 1996, Nelson Quayle... 

Fig. 3. Synaptic localization of the mGluRs. The predominant localizations of the seven mGluR subtypes expressed in the CNS. The typical localizations of iGluRs and excitatory amino acid transporters (EAATs) are given, and the regulation of Glu release, iGluR signaling and ion channel activities mediated by the mGluRs is shown.

It is likely that the advantage of regulation of ion channel activity via the interconversion cycle is an improvement in sensitivity of the change in activity of the ion channel to the change in concentration of the neurotransmitter in the... 

Currently, two classes of drugs are available with antiviral activity against influenza viruses inhibitors of the ion channel activity of the M2 membrane protein, amantadine and rimantadine, and the neuraminidase inhibitors oseltamivir, and zanamivir. H5N1 viruses isolated from poultry and humans in Thailand and Viet Nam in 2004 invariably showed an amantadine-resistance indicating that amantadine treatment is not an option during the ongoing outb-treak in South-East Asia. 

Ion Channel Active Agents Symptomatic but not Curative Drugs... 

Subsequently the ion channel activity was tested by single-channel current measurements using planar lipid bilayers. Single-channel conductances of ca. 55 in 500 mM NaCl and 65 pS in KCl were obtained. The weak ion selectivity was claimed to reflect a slightly larger mobility of K compared to that of Na ion in bulk solution. Therefore a large 7.5-A pore structure in lipid bilayers is assumed to resemble the bulk aqueous solution. 

---