Search Results (3)

The changes in intracellular free calcium (Ca²⁺) levels are one of the most widely regulators of cell function; therefore, calcium as a universal intracellular mediator is involved in very important human diseases and disorders. In many cells, Ca²⁺ inflow is mediated by store-operated calcium channels, and it is recognized that the store-operated calcium entry (SOCE) is mediated by the two partners: the pore-forming proteins Orai (Orai1-3) and the calcium store sensor, stromal interaction molecule (STIM1-2). Importantly, the Orai/STIM channels are involved in crucial cell signalling processes such as growth factors, neurotransmitters, and cytokines via interaction with protein tyrosine kinase coupled receptors and G protein-coupled receptors. Therefore, in recent years, the issue of Orai/STIM channels as a drug target in human diseases has received considerable attention. This review summarizes and highlights our current knowledge of the Orai/STIM channels in human diseases and disorders, including immunodeficiency, myopathy, tubular aggregate, Stormorken syndrome, York platelet syndrome, cardiovascular and metabolic disorders, and cancers, as well as suggesting these channels as drug targets for pharmacological therapeutic intervention. Moreover, this work will also focus on the pharmacological modulators of Orai/STIM channel complexes. Together, our thoughtful of the biology and physiology of the Orai/STIM channels have grown remarkably during the past three decades, and the next important milestone in the field of store-operated calcium entry will be to identify potent and selective small molecules as a therapeutic agent with the purpose to target human diseases and disorders for patient benefit. Full article

Pharmacology is a distinct discipline and offers core knowledge to broaden student programs in the provision of health care (medicine, nursing, pharmacy, and others) as well as research-oriented programs (biosciences and biomedical). Therefore, knowledge and information on topics such as prescribing medication, drug interactions, dosage adjustments, and the correct drug dose calculation for medicine are essential for preventing and reducing medication errors, which is a key element in patient safety. Recently, many institutions have been trying to enhance their quality of teaching, as students demand support and success in their studies. Pharmacology is a highly challenging interdisciplinary topic, and requires a huge effort from both educators and students to achieve the best outcomes. Therefore, creating an effective environment to support students’ learning in pharmacology courses is essential to improving students’ engagement, success and learning outcomes. In recent decades, the landscape of education has changed, and distance learning has skyrocketed. This manuscript intends to discuss and highlight the importance of student engagement in higher education in pharmacology courses. Additionally, this paper spotlights and presents a review of recent studies focusing on student engagement in pharmacology courses and possible methods for enhancing and inspiring student engagement in pharmacology courses. Full article

Proteins of the TRPC family can form many homo- and heterotetrameric cation channels permeable to Na⁺, K⁺ and Ca²⁺. In this review, we focus on channels formed by the isoforms TRPC1, TRPC4 and TRPC5. We review evidence for the formation of different TRPC1/4/5 tetramers, give an overview of recently developed small-molecule TRPC1/4/5 activators and inhibitors, highlight examples of biological roles of TRPC1/4/5 channels in different tissues and pathologies, and discuss how high-quality chemical probes of TRPC1/4/5 modulators can be used to understand the involvement of TRPC1/4/5 channels in physiological and pathophysiological processes. Full article