NIH R01 · 2024
TRP Channels as Master Controllers of Lens Function
To function normally, all cells must maintain ion homeostasis and regulate water content. The lens is unusual because it is made from a packed mass of fiber cells that are incapable of independently maintaining ion and water homeostasis. The fiber cells rely on ion transport mechanisms in a monolayer of epithelial cells at the lens surface. Na,K- ATPase and NKCC1 activity are particularly important. To monitor and control this arrangement, the lens has come to rely on exquisitely specialized remote control mechanisms that utilize TRPV4 and TRPV1 channels. A TRPV4 feedback loop senses swelling in the fiber mass and increases Na,K-ATPase activity to compensate. A TRPV1 feedback loop senses…
From the public funding record at NIH RePORTER. Describes the funded project, not the reviews below.