RUI: Glia in Medullary pH Regulation

神经胶质细胞具有多种功能，包括神经元的代谢支持和细胞外离子浓度的维持。 最近的证据表明，胶质细胞可能在调节神经递质，钾离子和氢离子（质子）的细胞外浓度中发挥重要作用。 酸中毒（质子水平升高）可能发生在呼吸活动低的时候。 酸中毒刺激脑干内的神经细胞，对升高的CO2浓度作出反应。这些细胞的神经元电活动的变化部分由细胞外pH（酸水平）决定。因此，影响这些化学敏感细胞内或周围pH的因素可能会影响对酸性刺激的反应性。 本研究的主要目的是：（1）确定脑干胶质细胞的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质子转运的激活;和3）研究选择性阻断神经胶质pH调节如何影响pH，反过来，影响pHi（细胞内的pH值）和CO2敏感性脑干神经元中的化学感觉刺激。参与拟议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，从而为学生提供机会，在科学相关问题的背景下探索自己的独创性和创造力。这个教师发起的，学生驱动的研究的主要目标之一是建立学生和教师之间的指导伙伴关系，促进学生对科学探究过程的理解，并通过实验完善科学问题。学生将获得做科学的过程中有一个清晰的认识，从而磨练许多生活技能（如批判性思维，口头，视觉和书面沟通），这将有助于他们在整个职业生涯。

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.