Membrane excitability and cellular calcium regulation in the peripheral nervous system under different (patho)-physiological conditions and in inflammatory disease

细胞因子对神经元和肌肉作用的研究为神经系统对全身性炎症和败血症的功能反应提供了新的见解。在一些国家，败血症是仅次于心脏病发作的第三大常见死因。阐明病理机制有助于制定治疗策略。电生理学、Ca2+调节和光学膜电位测定法使我们能够在（亚）细胞水平上监测疾病的早期变化。在不同胆固醇膜含量的肌肉中进行Ca2+调节和离子通道功能的实验，将有助于在心血管效应变得突出之前，在膜水平上了解高胆固醇疾病（如肥胖）的病理机制。

Studies of cytokine action on neurons and muscle give new insights into functional responses of the nervous system to systemic inflammation and sepsis. In some countries, sepsis is the third most frequent cause of death following heart attack. Elucidating the pathomechanisms allows to develop therapeutic strategies. Electrophysiology, Ca2+ regulation and optical membrane potentiometry allow us to monitor early changes in disease on a (sub)cellular level. Experiments on Ca2+ regulation and ion channel function in muscle with different cholesterol membrane contents will help to understand pathomechanisms in high cholesterol diseases, e.g. obesity, on the membrane level long before cardiovascular effects become prominent.