酸感受性离子通道生物学特性及其调控

Biological Characteristics of Acid Sensing Ion Channels (ASICs) and Their Modulations

酸感受离子通道(ASICs)为H+-门控的阳离子通道,是一类新的配体门控性离子通道,属于钠通道超家族的新成员.作为近来研究的热点,ASICs具有许多重要的生物学功能,并很有可能成为抗癫痫、镇痛、提高学习记忆能力和保护神经元缺血损伤作用药理学新靶点.近来,ASICs各个亚基已被克隆,它们在生物体内分布、表达、功能和相关调节因素的研究正受到广泛重视.

ASICs are H＋gated novel cation ion channels, which belong to the epithelial sodium channels （NaC/DEG） superfamily. As recent studies focus, ASICs are expected to be pharmacological targets on protecting the neuron from ischemia and damage, improving the ability of memory and study, curing epilepsy and analgesia. It is not until the most recentness that the subunits of ASICs have been cloned. Now, researchers have paid more attention to the distribution, expression, function and modulation of ASICs in the organism.