Possible roles of the weakly inward rectifying k+ channel Kir4.1 (KCNJ10) in the pre-Bötzinger complex

Nestoras Papadopoulos; Stefan M Winter; Kai Härtel; Melanie Kaiser; Clemens Neusch; Swen Hülsmann

doi:10.1007/978-0-387-73693-8_19

Possible roles of the weakly inward rectifying k+ channel Kir4.1 (KCNJ10) in the pre-Bötzinger complex

Adv Exp Med Biol. 2008:605:109-13. doi: 10.1007/978-0-387-73693-8_19.

Authors

Nestoras Papadopoulos¹, Stefan M Winter, Kai Härtel, Melanie Kaiser, Clemens Neusch, Swen Hülsmann

Affiliation

¹ Department of Neuro- and Sensory Physiology, Georg-August-University Göttingen, 37073 Göttingen, Germany.

PMID: 18085256
DOI: 10.1007/978-0-387-73693-8_19

Abstract

Rhythmic activity of respiratory neurons is dependent on the clearance of neurotransmitter by astrocytes. Astrocytes should also be involved in the permanent and rapid clearance of extracellular ions. We analyzed the expression of the weakly inwardly rectifying K+ channel Kir4.1 (KCNJ10) in the respiratory network and studied the possible functions for neuronal activity in the pre-Bötzinger complex.

MeSH terms

Animals
Astrocytes / physiology*
Gene Deletion
Glial Fibrillary Acidic Protein / genetics
Humans
Kcnj10 Channel
Mice
Mice, Knockout
Mice, Transgenic
Potassium Channels, Inwardly Rectifying / deficiency
Potassium Channels, Inwardly Rectifying / genetics
Potassium Channels, Inwardly Rectifying / physiology*
Respiratory Physiological Phenomena*
Synaptic Transmission / physiology

Substances

Glial Fibrillary Acidic Protein
Kcnj10 Channel
Potassium Channels, Inwardly Rectifying