Exploring the Dynamic Interaction Between Large-Pore Channels: Latest Insights
A Special Issue of International Journal of Molecular Sciences (ISSN 1422-0067) belonging to the section "Biochemistry".
Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (31 March 2026) | Viewed by 922
Editors
2. Laboratorio de Fisiología, Facultad de Ciencias Biológicas, Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile, Alameda 340, Santiago, Chile
Interests: regulation and function of connexin- and pannexin-based channels
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Special Issue Information
Dear Colleagues,
Over the past two decades, large-pore channels, including the hemichannels formed by connexins, pannexins, innexins, unnexins, and TRP channels, P2X receptors, and CAHLM channels, have emerged as pivotal, upstream physiological effectors, and as amplifiers of neuro-inflammation. Critical progress on the molecular structures of these channels has been accomplished, allowing advances in understanding their involvement in cell responses. Their participation is mediated by the permeants (i.e., ions and small molecules) going through these channels. Permeation of ions can cause membrane depolarization and intracellular activation of Ca2+-dependent metabolic pathways. The direction of movement of small molecules through these large-pore channels will depend on the concentration gradient between the intracellular and extracellular compartments, leading to their release (e.g., ATP and glutamate) or their uptake (e.g., glucose and cADPR). While some of these permeants play relevant roles under physiological conditions, they could also act as danger signals that activate P2X and NMDA receptors, contributing to Ca2+ overload. This, in turn, can lead to cell dysfunction or even cell death, or cause activation of the inflammasome and generation of reactive oxygen and nitrogen species. In addition, the activation of one type of large-pore channel can lead to the activation of other large-pore channels, generating a feed-forward mechanism that potentiates the cell response. Key gaps in the understanding of the relevance of each large-pore channel underscore the requirement for further research. Progress could be made using recently discovered selective blockers and/or molecular biology techniques (e.g., to knockout or knockdown specific protein subunits of each channel type).
Prof. Dr. Juan Carlos Saez
Prof. Dr. Viviana Berthoud
Guest Editors
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Keywords
- connexin hemichannels
- pannexin hemichannels
- TRP channels
- P2X receptors
- CAHLM channels
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