JN Watch the video to see how APS reaches out to developing nations.
HOME HELP FEEDBACK SUBSCRIPTIONS ARCHIVE SEARCH
 QUICK SEARCH:   [advanced]


     


J Neurophysiol (August 13, 2008). doi:10.1152/jn.90555.2008
This Article
Right arrow Full Text (PDF)
Right arrow All Versions of this Article:
100/4/1824    most recent
90555.2008v1
Right arrow Alert me when this article is cited
Right arrow Alert me if a correction is posted
Services
Right arrow Email this article to a friend
Right arrow Similar articles in this journal
Right arrow Similar articles in PubMed
Right arrow Alert me to new issues of the journal
Right arrow Download to citation manager
Citing Articles
Right arrow Citing Articles via HighWire
Right arrow Citing Articles via Google Scholar
Google Scholar
Right arrow Articles by Zhang, P.
Right arrow Articles by Delay, R. J
Right arrow Search for Related Content
PubMed
Right arrow PubMed Citation
Right arrow Articles by Zhang, P.
Right arrow Articles by Delay, R. J
Submitted on May 13, 2008
Revised on June 22, 2008
Accepted on August 6, 2008

Urine stimulation activates BK channels in mouse vomeronasal neurons

Peng Zhang1, Chun Yang1, and Rona J Delay1*

1 University of Vermont

* To whom correspondence should be addressed. E-mail: rdelay{at}uvm.edu.

Most odor responses in mouse vomeronasal neurons are mediated by the phospholipase C (PLC) pathway, activation of which elevates diacylglycerol (DAG). Lucas et al. (2003) showed that DAG activates TRPC2 (transient receptor potential channels, subfamily C, member 2), resulting in a depolarizing Ca2+ influx. DAG can be subsequently converted to arachidonic acid (AA) by a DAG lipase, the role of which remains largely unknown. In this study we found that urine stimulation of vomeronasal neurons activated large-conductance Ca2+-activated K+ (BK) channels via AA production. Using isolated neurons, we demonstrated that repetitive applications of AA potentiated a K+ current that required a Ca2+ influx and was sensitive to specific BK blockers. Using immunocytochemistry we found that BK channels are present in vomeronasal neurons with labeling on the soma and heavy labeling on the dendrite with a BK channel antibody. We examined the role of these BK channels in regulating neuronal firing when the neuron was activated by membrane depolarization or urine. Contrary to a recent report (Ukhanov et al. 2007), our data suggest that BK channels contribute to adaptation of urine/odor responses since the inhibition of BK channels during urine stimulation promoted repetitive firing. These data strongly support the hypothesis that AA mediates an inhibitory pathway through BK channels, a possible mechanism for odor adaptation in vomeronasal neurons.




This article has been cited by other articles:


Home page
Physiol. Rev.Home page
R. Tirindelli, M. Dibattista, S. Pifferi, and A. Menini
From Pheromones to Behavior
Physiol Rev, July 1, 2009; 89(3): 921 - 956.
[Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]




HOME HELP FEEDBACK SUBSCRIPTIONS ARCHIVE SEARCH
Visit Other APS Journals Online
Copyright © 2008 by the The American Physiological Society.