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Published on: December 31, 2013
Warm temperatures activate TRPV4 in mouse 308 keratinocytes
Man-Kyo Chung1, Hyosang Lee, Michael J Caterina
1Department of Biological Chemistry, Johns Hopkins School of Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland 21205, USA.
The Journal of Biological Chemistry
|June 5, 2003
Summary
Skin keratinocytes can detect warm temperatures using the transient receptor potential vanilloid 4 (TRPV4) channel. This finding reveals a new system for analyzing warmth detection in skin cells.
Area of Science:
- Cell biology
- Neuroscience
- Physiology
Background:
- Mammalian survival depends on precise temperature monitoring.
- Transient receptor potential vanilloid (TRPV) channels, including TRPV3, TRPV4, TRPV1, and TRPV2, are temperature-gated ion channels.
- TRPV3 and TRPV4 are found in skin keratinocytes, not sensory neurons in rodents.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate warmth detection in mouse keratinocytes.
- To determine the role of TRPV4 in keratinocyte temperature sensing.
Main Methods:
- Utilized the mouse 308 keratinocyte cell line.
- Measured transmembrane cationic currents and calcium (Ca2+) influx.
- Analyzed electrophysiological properties, osmolarity, and phorbol ester sensitivity.
Main Results:
- Mouse 308 keratinocytes exhibited warmth-evoked cationic currents and Ca2+ influx above 32°C.
- Both TRPV3 and TRPV4 channels were expressed in 308 cells.
- Observed warmth responses closely mimicked those of recombinant TRPV4, showing sensitivity to osmolarity and 4α-phorbol-12,13-didecanoate.
Conclusions:
- Keratinocytes possess the capability to detect modest increases in temperature.
- TRPV4 channels are strongly implicated in mediating these warmth-evoked responses in keratinocytes.
- Established a model system for the cell biological study of warmth transduction.
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