A single sodium channel mutation produces hyper- or hypoexcitability in different types of neurons.

ABSTRACT: Disease-producing mutations of ion channels are usually characterized as producing hyperexcitability or hypoexcitability. We show here that a single mutation can produce hyperexcitability in one neuronal cell type and hypoexcitability in another neuronal cell type. We studied the functional effects of a mutation of sodium channel Nav1.7 associated with a neuropathic pain syndrome, erythermalgia, within sensory and sympathetic ganglion neurons, two cell types where Nav1.7 is normally expressed. Although this mutation depolarizes resting membrane potential in both types of neurons, it renders sensory neurons hyperexcitable and sympathetic neurons hypoexcitable. The selective presence, in sensory but not sympathetic neurons, of the Nav1.8 channel, which remains available for activation at dep

SUBMITTER: Rush AM 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC1472458 | biostudies-literature | 2006 May

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature