Acid-Sensing Ion Channels as Potential Therapeutic Targets in Neurodegeneration and Neuroinflammation

Figure 1

ASIC structure and properties. In (a) scheme of the ASIC trimer. Current is activated by H⁺ and carried by Na⁺ and in lower proportion by Ca²⁺. The increase in intracellular Na⁺ and Ca²⁺ concentrations caused by ASIC current may activate various intracellular messenger systems. In (b), typical ASIC currents obtained from homomers of ASIC subunits transfected in Chinese hamster ovary (CHO) cells [229]. It is worth to note the sustained component of ASIC3 current. In (c), ASIC currents elicited by different pHs in isolated neurons from the rat spiral ganglion [11]. In (d), every subunit has a typical half-activation pH. The various isoforms of ASIC confer the heteromeric channels a larger span of pH responsiveness. Calibration of currents is in nanoampere (nA) versus time in seconds (s).

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