RUI: Glia in Medullary pH Regulation

神经胶质细胞涉及多种功能，包括神经元的代谢支持和维持细胞外离子浓度。最近的证据表明，神经胶质可能在调节神经递质、钾离子和氢离子（质子）的细胞外浓度方面发挥重要作用。酸中毒（质子水平升高）可在呼吸活动低时发生。酸中毒会刺激脑干内的神经细胞对二氧化碳浓度升高做出反应。这些细胞的神经元电活动的变化部分是由细胞外pH值（酸水平）决定的。因此，影响这些化学敏感细胞内或周围pH值的因素可能会影响对酸性刺激的通气反应。这项工作预计将产生以下重要发现：1)确定脑干胶质细胞中pH调节机制；2)确定细胞外pH （pHo）调节在多大程度上依赖于胶质细胞中质子转运的激活；3)研究选择性阻断神经胶质pH调节如何影响pHo，进而影响pHi（细胞内pH）和二氧化碳敏感脑干神经元的化学感觉刺激。参与研究的本科生将完全沉浸在实验设计、数据收集、分析和解释的各个方面，从而为学生提供在科学相关问题的背景下探索自己的聪明才智和创造力的机会。这种由教师发起、学生驱动的研究的主要目标之一是在学生和教师之间建立一种指导伙伴关系，以促进学生对科学探究过程的理解，并通过实验改进科学问题。学生们将对科学研究的过程有一个清晰的认识，从而磨练许多生活技能（例如批判性思维，口头，视觉和书面沟通），这些技能将在他们的职业生涯中很好地服务于他们。

Glial cells have been implicated in diverse functions including the metabolic support of neurons and maintenance of extracellular ion concentrations. Recent evidence suggests that glia may play an important role in regulating the extracellular concentrations of neurotransmitters, potassium ions and hydrogen ions (protons). Acidosis (elevation of proton levels) can occur when respiratory activity is low. Acidosis stimulates neural cells within the brainstem that respond to elevated CO2 concentrations. The changes in neuronal electrical activity of these cells are determined in part by the extracellular pH (acid levels). Therefore, factors that influence pH in or around these chemosensitive cells may affect ventilatory responsiveness to acidic stimuli. The proposed work is anticipated to yield the following important findings: 1) identify pH regulating mechanisms present in brainstem glia; 2) determine the extent to which extracellular pH (pHo) regulation depends on the activation of proton transport in glia; and 3) examine how selective blocking of glial pH regulation can affect pHo and, in turn, affect pHi (the pH within the cells) and the chemosensory stimulus in CO2-sensitive brainstem neurons. Undergraduate students participating in the proposed research will be fully immersed in all aspects of experimental design, data collection, analysis and interpretation thereby providing opportunities for the students to explore their own ingenuity and creativity within the context of a scientifically relevant problem. One of the primary goals of this faculty-initiated, student-driven research is to establish a mentoring partnership between the student and faculty member that fosters the student's understanding of the process of scientific inquiry and the refinement of scientific questions through experimentation. The students will gain a clear understanding of the process of doing science and consequently hone many life skills (e.g. critical thinking, oral, visual and written communication) that will serve them well throughout their careers.