0000000000791360
AUTHOR
Soile Nymark
showing 2 related works from this author
Sodium channels enable fast electrical signaling and regulate phagocytosis in the retinal pigment epithelium
2019
Background Voltage-gated sodium (Nav) channels have traditionally been considered a trademark of excitable cells. However, recent studies have shown the presence of Nav channels in several non-excitable cells, such as astrocytes and macrophages, demonstrating that the roles of these channels are more diverse than was previously thought. Despite the earlier discoveries, the presence of Nav channel-mediated currents in the cells of retinal pigment epithelium (RPE) has been dismissed as a cell culture artifact. We challenge this notion by investigating the presence and possible role of Nav channels in RPE both ex vivo and in vitro. Results Our work demonstrates that several subtypes of Nav cha…
Gap junctions and connexin hemichannels both contribute to the electrical properties of retinal pigment epithelium.
2022
Gap junctions are intercellular channels that permit the transfer of ions and small molecules between adjacent cells. These cellular junctions are particularly dense in the retinal pigment epithelium (RPE), and their contribution to many retinal diseases has been recognized. While gap junctions have been implicated in several aspects of RPE physiology, their role in shaping the electrical properties of these cells has not been characterized in mammals. The role of gap junctions in the electrical properties of the RPE is particularly important considering the growing appreciation of RPE as excitable cells containing various voltage-gated channels. We used a whole-cell patch clamp to measure …