Pannexin signalling in neural progenitor cells

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Neurons are the cells in the brain responsible for information transmission. Neurogenesis, the process of the making new neurons, occurs in specific brain regions, even after birth, and is important for certain critical brain functions, such as memory. Neurogenesis in the hippocampus, the part of the brain important for memory, is made possible by the presence of neural progenitor cells. These specialized cells share some properties with stem cells, meaning they can divide to form new progenitor cells, and/or differentiate into either neurons or other types of cells called glia. The fate of these stem-like progenitor cells is highly controlled by local environmental factors such as electrical activity, growth factors and other small molecules. We are only beginning to understand the complex components that maintain this important pool of progenitor cells and regulate their differentiation into neurons. Proteins that form aqueous channels in membranes are emerging as important mediators responsible for transmitting environmental cues to these cells. Pannexins are a family of proteins in mammals forming large-pore channels that allow the passage of ions and small molecules. Our work has found that two types of pannexins, pannexin 1 and pannexin 2, are present in hippocampal neural progenitor cells and may play key roles in their regulation. Our proposal aims to uncover how pannexin 1 and pannexin 2 affect neural progenitor cells by increasing our understanding of their channel functions and through identifying the cellular processes in which they participate. The results of our studies will contribute to the knowledge of the factors underlying the ability to create new neurons in the brain, and how this remarkable fundamental process is maintained throughout life.