PBIO SEMINAR SERIES

The Yin and Yang of cold temperature sensing: tuning the excitability of a mammalian thermoreceptor

Wednesday - June 04, 2008
07-08 SEMINAR SERIES
HHL 322

Felix Viana, MD PhD
Universidad Miguel Hernandez-CSIC

Host: Albert Berger

Thermal changes in the environment are sensed by a specialized set of nerve terminals covering the body surface called thermoreceptors. These temperature changes can evoke a variety of sensations than can be categorized as pleasant, uncomfortable or painful. Several ion channels of the TRP family that are gated by temperature act as molecular detectors of temperature changes. In addition, we have found that various voltage gated channels (HCN1, Kv1 potassium channels) expressed in the same nerve terminals help shape their electrical response and are key elements in determining the temperature threshold and the pattern of spontaneous activity in cold thermoreceptors. Combining electrophysiological recordings, pharmacological tools and behavioural studies in animals missing individual ion channel subunits we are trying to dissect out the contribution of each molecular element to the sensing capacities of these receptors.