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Related Concept Videos

Nociception01:44

Nociception

Nociception—the ability to feel pain—is essential for an organism’s survival and overall well-being. Noxious stimuli such as piercing pain from a sharp object, heat from an open flame, or contact with corrosive chemicals are first detected by sensory receptors, called nociceptors, located on nerve endings. Nociceptors express ion channels that convert noxious stimuli into electrical signals. When these signals reach the brain via sensory neurons, they are perceived as pain. Thus, pain helps the...
Mechanically-gated Ion Channels01:12

Mechanically-gated Ion Channels

Mechanically-gated ion channels are proteins found in eukaryotic and prokaryotic cell membranes that open in response to mechanical stress. Tension, compression, swelling, and shear stress can alter the conformation of the protein, opening a transmembrane channel that allows the passage of ions for signal transmission. In eukaryotes, mechanically-gated channels are distributed in several regions like the neurons, lungs, skin, bladder, and heart, where they play critical roles in numerous...
Calmodulin-dependent Signaling01:16

Calmodulin-dependent Signaling

Calmodulin (CaM) is a calcium-binding protein in eukaryotes that controls various calcium-regulated cellular processes. It has four calcium-binding sites that bind calcium to form the calcium-calmodulin ( Ca2+-CaM) complex. GPCR stimulation increases the calcium levels in the cells that bind to CaM and induces a conformational change.
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Thermosensation01:43

Thermosensation

Peripheral thermosensation is the perception of external temperature. A change in temperature (on the surface of the skin and other tissues) is detected by a family of temperature-sensitive ion channels called Transient Receptor Potential, or TRP, receptors. These receptors are located on free nerve endings. Those detecting cold temperatures are closer to the surface of the skin than the nerve endings detecting warmth. These thermoTRP channels, while temperature selective, have relatively...
Resting Membrane Potential01:24

Resting Membrane Potential

The relative difference in electrical charge, or voltage, between the inside and the outside of a cell membrane, is called the membrane potential. It is generated by differences in permeability of the membrane to various ions and the concentrations of these ions across the membrane.
The Inside of a Neuron is More Negative
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Ligand-Gated Ion Channel Receptor: Gating Mechanism01:30

Ligand-Gated Ion Channel Receptor: Gating Mechanism

Ligand-gated ion channels are transmembrane proteins that play a vital role in intercellular communication and functions of the nervous system. They allow the influx of ions across the membrane once the neurotransmitter binds, allowing the subsequent transmission of electrical excitation across the neurons. Other ligand-gated ion channels, like the γ-aminobutyric acid (GABA) receptor, permit anions like chloride into the cells on the binding of the GABA molecule. Their entry into the cell...

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Single-Cell Calcium Imaging for Studying the Activation of Calcium Ion Channels
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Nociceptin Signaling Involves a Calcium-Based Depolarization in Tetrahymena thermophila.

Thomas Lampert1, Cheryl Nugent, John Weston

  • 1Department of Biological Sciences, State University of New York at Buffalo, 109 Cooke Hall, Buffalo, NY 14260, USA.

International Journal of Peptides
|June 6, 2013
PubMed
Summary

Tetrahymena thermophila avoid nociceptin, a peptide involved in vertebrate pain signaling. This avoidance response is mediated by calcium signaling pathways, as indicated by inhibitor studies and electrophysiology.

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Area of Science:

  • Cell Biology
  • Neuroscience
  • Biochemistry

Background:

  • Tetrahymena thermophila exhibit well-characterized behavioral responses to chemical stimuli, including chemoattraction and chemorepulsion.
  • Certain peptides involved in vertebrate pain signaling, such as nociceptin, act as chemorepellents in Tetrahymena.
  • Understanding the molecular mechanisms of chemorepulsion in Tetrahymena can provide insights into conserved signaling pathways.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate the behavioral response of Tetrahymena thermophila to different isoforms of nociceptin.
  • To elucidate the intracellular signaling mechanisms underlying nociceptin-induced chemorepulsion in Tetrahymena.
  • To determine the role of calcium ions in mediating nociceptin avoidance behavior.

Main Methods:

  • Behavioral assays measuring Tetrahymena thermophila's response to nociceptin isoforms.
  • Application of pharmacological inhibitors targeting G-protein signaling, tyrosine kinases, and calcium pathways (EGTA, thapsigargin).
  • Electrophysiology to record membrane potential changes in response to nociceptin and EGTA.

Main Results:

  • Tetrahymena thermophila demonstrated avoidance behavior towards nociceptin.
  • G-protein and tyrosine kinase inhibitors did not affect nociceptin avoidance.
  • Inhibition of calcium signaling (using EGTA and thapsigargin) significantly reduced nociceptin avoidance.
  • Electrophysiology confirmed that nociceptin causes sustained membrane depolarization, which was abolished by EGTA.

Conclusions:

  • Calcium ions play a critical role in mediating nociceptin-induced avoidance behavior in Tetrahymena thermophila.
  • The findings suggest a conserved role for calcium signaling in response to pain-related peptides across different species.
  • This study highlights Tetrahymena as a model organism for studying the fundamental mechanisms of chemosensation and nociception.