Pannexin signalling in neural progenitor cells

神经元是大脑中负责信息传递的细胞。神经发生，即产生新神经元的过程，发生在特定的大脑区域，甚至在出生后，对某些关键的大脑功能（如记忆）很重要。海马体是大脑中对记忆很重要的部分，它的神经发生是由于神经祖细胞的存在而成为可能的。这些特化的细胞与干细胞有一些共同的特性，这意味着它们可以分裂形成新的祖细胞，和/或分化成神经元或其他类型的细胞，即神经胶质细胞。这些干细胞样祖细胞的命运受到局部环境因素的高度控制，如电活动、生长因子和其他小分子。我们才刚刚开始了解维持这一重要祖细胞库并调节它们向神经元分化的复杂成分。在细胞膜上形成水通道的蛋白质正在成为重要的介质，负责将环境信号传递给这些细胞。泛联蛋白是哺乳动物体内形成大孔通道的一类蛋白质，这些通道允许离子和小分子通过。我们的工作已经发现两种类型的pannexin， pannexin 1和pannexin 2，存在于海马体神经祖细胞中，并可能在其调节中起关键作用。我们的建议旨在通过增加我们对pannexin 1和pannexin 2通道功能的理解以及通过识别它们参与的细胞过程来揭示pannexin 1和pannexin 2如何影响神经祖细胞。我们的研究结果将有助于了解大脑中产生新神经元的能力背后的因素，以及这一非凡的基本过程是如何在整个生命中维持的。

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.