RUI: The Modulatory Role of pH in Hippocampal Neuron Metabolic Responses to Challenge

9319433苏斯曼酸碱平衡，或称pH动态平衡，对人体内许多器官的正常功能至关重要，包括大脑。然而，尽管普遍认为pH动态平衡对大脑功能至关重要，但对pH变化对神经细胞(神经元)功能的影响知之甚少。直到最近，科学家们才认识到，大脑pH值的变化在神经元信号传递中发挥了作用。神经元对电信号的反应释放出的神经递质会影响大脑的PH值。此外，大脑的pH值影响神经元对神经递质的反应。这些发现表明，pH的变化调节了神经元的电功能。众所周知，在其他系统中，pH的变化会影响许多细胞过程，包括能量和蛋白质新陈代谢。尽管有迹象表明pH会影响神经元的功能，但人们对pH变化在神经元代谢中的作用或神经元中pH是如何调节的知之甚少。目前的研究探索了大脑中与学习和记忆有关的区域--海马体--切片中的pH值、能量代谢和蛋白质代谢之间的关系。我们评估了短暂的pH变化对神经元对神经递质刺激和能量挑战的代谢反应的影响。这项研究的结果将提供关于脑pH变化在神经元功能的几个重要方面的作用的重要信息，特别是蛋白质和能量代谢，并将提供关于哺乳动物脑中pH调节的新信息。***

9319433 Susman Acid-base balance, or pH homeostasis, is crucial for the proper function of many organs within the body, including the brain. However, despite the general agreement that pH homeostasis is crucial for brain function, little is known about the impact of changes in pH on nerve cell (neuron) functioning. It was only recently that scientists recognized that changes in brain pH play a role in neuron signalling. Neurotransmitters, released from neurons in response to an electrical signal, influence brain pH. Further, brain pH influences the response of neurons to neurotransmitters. These findings indicate that changes in pH modulate neuron electrical functioning. It is well-known in other systems that pH changes affect many cellular processes, including energy and protein metabolism. Despite indications that pH affects neuronal function, little is known about the role of pH changes in metabolism of neurons or of how pH is regulated in neurons. Current research explores the relationships among pH, energy metabolism and protein metabolism in slices from the region of the brain implicated in learning and memory, the hippocampus. We assess the impact of brief changes in pH on neuronal metabolic responses to neurotransmitter stimulation and to energy challenges. Results from this study will provide important information about the role of changes in brain pH in several important aspects of neuronal function, particularly protein and energy metabolism, and will provide new information about pH regulation in the mammalian brain. ***