• Molecules and Cells
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• 제21권3호
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• pp.315-329
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• 2006

Two, well characterized cationic channels, the ryanodine receptor (RyR) and the canonical transient receptor potential cation channel (TRPC) are briefly reviewed with a particular attention on recent developments related to the interplay between the two channel families.

• International Journal of Oral Biology
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• 제31권4호
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• pp.135-140
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• 2006

Temperature signaling can be initiated by members of transient receptor potential (thermo-TRP) channels. Hot and cold substances applied to teeth usually elicit pain sensation. Since odontoblasts constitute a well-defined layer between the pulp and the mineralized dentin, being first to encounter thermal stimulation from oral cavity, they may be involved in sensory transduction process, in addition to their primary function as formation of dentin. We investigated whether thermo-TRP channels are expressed in a odontoblast cell line, MDPC-23. The expressions of thermo-TRP channels were examined using reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR), immunohistochemistry, fluorometric calcium imaging. Analysis of RT-PCR revealed mRNA expression of TRPV1, TRPV2, TRPV4 and TRPM8, but no TRPV3, TRPA1. Immunohistochemical approach failed to detect TRPV1 expression. Whereas the application of 4-phorbol-12,13-didecanoate($10\;{\mu}M$, a TRPV4 agonist), menthol(1 mM, a TRPM8 agonist) and icilin($10\;{\mu}M$, a TRPM8 agonist) produced the enhancement of intracellular calcium concentration, capsaicin($1\;{\mu}M$, a TRPV1 agonist) did not. Our results suggest that subfamily of thermo-TRP channels expressed in odontoblasts may serve as thermal or mechanical transducer in teeth.

• 대한화학회지
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• 제57권1호
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• pp.99-103
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• 2013

The present communication deals with the Pharmacophore modeling, 3D QSAR and docking analysis on series of Pyrimidine derivatives as potential calcium channel blockers. The computational studies showed hydrogen bond donor, hydrogen bond acceptor, and hydrophobic group are important features for calcium channel blocking activity. These studies showed that Pyrimidine scaffold can be utilized for designing of novel calcium channels blockers for CVS disorders.

• The Korean Journal of Physiology and Pharmacology
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• 제27권4호
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• pp.311-323
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• 2023

Ion homeostasis, which is regulated by ion channels, is crucial for intracellular signaling. These channels are involved in diverse signaling pathways, including cell proliferation, migration, and intracellular calcium dynamics. Consequently, ion channel dysfunction can lead to various diseases. In addition, these channels are present in the plasma membrane and intracellular organelles. However, our understanding of the function of intracellular organellar ion channels is limited. Recent advancements in electrophysiological techniques have enabled us to record ion channels within intracellular organelles and thus learn more about their functions. Autophagy is a vital process of intracellular protein degradation that facilitates the breakdown of aged, unnecessary, and harmful proteins into their amino acid residues. Lysosomes, which were previously considered protein-degrading garbage boxes, are now recognized as crucial intracellular sensors that play significant roles in normal signaling and disease pathogenesis. Lysosomes participate in various processes, including digestion, recycling, exocytosis, calcium signaling, nutrient sensing, and wound repair, highlighting the importance of ion channels in these signaling pathways. This review focuses on different lysosomal ion channels, including those associated with diseases, and provides insights into their cellular functions. By summarizing the existing knowledge and literature, this review emphasizes the need for further research in this field. Ultimately, this study aims to provide novel perspectives on the regulation of lysosomal ion channels and the significance of ion-associated signaling in intracellular functions to develop innovative therapeutic targets for rare and lysosomal storage diseases.

• The Korean Journal of Physiology and Pharmacology
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• 제24권1호
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• pp.101-110
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• 2020

Transient receptor potential canonical 4 (TRPC4) channel is a nonselective calcium-permeable cation channels. In intestinal smooth muscle cells, TRPC4 currents contribute more than 80% to muscarinic cationic current (mIcat). With its inward-rectifying current-voltage relationship and high calcium permeability, TRPC4 channels permit calcium influx once the channel is opened by muscarinic receptor stimulation. Polyamines are known to inhibit nonselective cation channels that mediate the generation of mIcat. Moreover, it is reported that TRPC4 channels are blocked by the intracellular spermine through electrostatic interaction with glutamate residues (E728, E729). Here, we investigated the correlation between the magnitude of channel inactivation by spermine and the magnitude of channel conductance. We also found additional spermine binding sites in TRPC4. We evaluated channel activity with electrophysiological recordings and revalidated structural significance based on Cryo-EM structure, which was resolved recently. We found that there is no correlation between magnitude of inhibitory action of spermine and magnitude of maximum current of the channel. In intracellular region, TRPC4 attracts spermine at channel periphery by reducing access resistance, and acidic residues contribute to blocking action of intracellular spermine; channel periphery, E649; cytosolic space, D629, D649, and E687.

• 한국세라믹학회지
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• 제41권7호
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• pp.497-502
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• 2004

A hybrid coextrusion and lamination process has been developed to fabricate macrochanneled bioceramic scaffolds. This process was mainly composed of three steps (i.e., coextrusion of thermoplastic compound, lamination, and thermal treatment), forming unique pore channels in dense bioceramic body. Pore channels were formed by removing carbon black material, while calcium phosphate or Tetragonal Zirconia Polycrystals (TZP) with a calcium phosphate coating layer were used as dense body. Two kinds of pore structures were fabricated; that is, the pore channels were formed in uni- or three-directional array. Such macrochanneled bioceramic scaffolds exhibited the precisely controlled pore structure (pore size, porosity, and interconnection), offering excellent mechanical properties and cellular responses.

• The Korean Journal of Physiology and Pharmacology
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• 제7권6호
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• pp.357-362
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• 2003

Carbon monoxide (CO) is low molecular weight oxide gas that is endogenously produced under physiological conditions and interacts with another gas, nitric oxide (NO), to act as a gastrointestinal messenger. The aim of this study was to determine the effects of exogenous CO on L-type calcium channel currents of human jejunal circular smooth muscle cells. Cells were voltage clamped with 10 mM barium ($Ba^{2+}$) as the charge carrier, and CO was directly applied into the bath to avoid perfusion induced effects on the recorded currents. 0.2% CO was increased barium current ($I_{Ba}$) by $15{\pm}2$% ($mean{\pm}S.E.$, p<0.01, n=11) in the cells. To determine if the effects of CO on barium current were mediated through the cGMP pathway, cells were pretreated with 1-H-[1,2,4]oxadiazolo[4,3,-a]quinoxalin-1-one (ODQ, $10{mu}M$), a soluble guanylyl cyclase inhibitor, and exogenous CO (0.2%) had no effect on barium currents in the presence of ODQ ($2{\pm}1$% increase, n=6, p>0.05). CO mediates inhibitory neurotransmission through the nitric oxide pathway. Therefore, to determine if the effects of CO on L-calcium channels were also mediated through NO, cells were incubated with $N^G-nitro-L-arginine$ (L-NNA, 1 mM), a nitric oxide synthase inhibitor. After L-NNA pretreatment, 0.2 % CO did not increase barium current ($4{\pm}2$% increase, n=6, p>0.05). NO donor, SNAP ($20{\mu}M$) increased barium current by $13{\pm}2$% (n=6, p<0.05) in human jejunal smooth muscle cells. These data suggest that CO activates L-type calcium channels through NO/cGMP dependant mechanism.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• 제15권7호
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• pp.949-956
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• 2002

There are several physiological and pharmacological evidences indicating that opening of voltage dependent $Ca^{2+}$ channels play a critical role in induction of acrosome reaction in mammalian sperm. We determined the intracellular free $Ca^{2+}$ concentration in ejaculated goat sperm using a fluorescent, $Ca^{2+}$-specific probe, Fura2/AM, after the suspension of sperm in KRB medium, capable of sustaining capacitation and the acrosome reaction. We used nifedipine, D-600 and diltiazem, the $Ca^{2+}$ channel antagonists belonging to the classes of dihydropyridines, phenylalkylamines and benzothiazepines, to investigate the possibility that L-type voltage gated $Ca^{2+}$ channels play a role in the progesterone-stimulated exocytotic response. Progesterone promoted a rise in intracellular $Ca^{2+}$ in goat sperm and addition of nifedipine (100 nM) just prior to progesterone induction, significantly inhibited both intracellular $Ca^{2+}$ rise and exocytosis suggesting that $Ca^{2+}$ channels are involved in the process. However, the intracellular $Ca^{2+}$ increase during the process of capacitation was not affected with the addition of nifedipine suggesting a role of focal channel for $Ca^{2+}$ during capacitation. Studies using monensin and nigericin, two monovalent cation ionophores showed that an influx of $Na^+$ also may play a role in the opening of $Ca^{2+}$ channels. These results strongly suggests that the entry of $Ca^{2+}$ channels with characteristics similar to those of L-type, voltage-sensitive $Ca^{2+}$ channels found in cardiac and skeletal muscle, is a crucial step in the sequence of events leading to progesterone induced acrosome reaction in goat sperm.

• 대한약리학회지
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• 제22권2호
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• pp.151-156
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• 1986

최근 심근세포 또는 신경세포에서 발표된 여러 종류의 calcium channel중 calcium antagonist로 차단되는 channel 또는 차단되지 않는 channel 등이 있는지 알아보기 위해 실험을 시행하였다. 돼지 소장 평활근으로부터 고농도의 KCl(150mM)로 부하된 세포 포막낭을 만들어 고농도의$K^+$ 또는 전기자극으로 $^{45}Ca$의 이동을 유발시켜 다음과 같은 성적을 얻었다. 저농도의 $K^+$용액에서의 $^{45}Ca$이동보다 고농도의 $K^+$-용액에서의 $^{45}Ca$이동이 유의하게 증가되었으며(p<0. 05) 이때 유입되는 $^{45}Ca$의 양은 시간에 따라 서서히 감소되었다. 전기자극(3V, 15Hz, 25msec)을 하였을때 유입되는 $^{45}Ca$의 양은 전기자극을 하지 않은 대조군에 비하여 현저하게 증가되었고, 자극시간에 따른 $^{45}Ca$의 유입량은 2분 동안 계속 증가되었다. Diltiazem 또는 nifedipine을 처치하였을때, 고농도의 $K^+$-용액에 의한 $^{45}Ca$의 유입은 억제되지 않았으나 전기자극에 의해 유도되는 $^{45}Ca$의 유입은 유의하게 억제되었다(p<0.005). 상기의 실험성적으로 돼지 소장 평활근으로부터 분리한 세포막에서의 calcium이동 중 전기자극에 의해 이루어지는 것은 calcium antagonist로 차단되는 calcium channel을 통하여 이루어지는 것으로 사료된다.

• 한국생물물리학회:학술대회논문집
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• 한국생물물리학회 2003년도 정기총회 및 학술발표회
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• pp.41-41
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• 2003

Small conductance calcium-activated potassium channels (or SKCa channels) are potassium selective, voltage-independent, and activated by intracellular calcium concentration. These channels play important roles in excitable cells such as neuron in the central nervous system (Vergara et al., 1998). The activity of SKCa channels underlies the slow afterhyperpolarization that inhibits neuronal cell firing (Hille, 1991; Vergara et al.,1998). Until now, N-terminal region of rSK2 isn't characterized. To study the role of N-terminus, we constructed the N-terminal deletion mutant and characterized by electrophysiological means. Interestingly, N-terminal deletion mutant be trafficked to membrane couldn't evoke any ionic currents. Thus, N-terminal region has a role in functional rSK2 channel formation. To elucidate the function of N-terminal region, (His)6-conjugated protein was purified and filtrated by affinity column chromatography. Surprisingly, N-terminal region was shown in tetramer size that was supported by cross-linking result. Thus, we predicted that N-terminal region might be involved in the tetramerization of rSK2.