title: Transmembrane communication and disease.
abstract: Many disease affect cell behaviour by an effect at the cell surface, often leading to altered communication across the plasma membrane. Two examples of this from our own work are presented. The first concerns the induction of pores, leading to a breach of insulating properties of the cell membrane, by agents as diverse as certain viruses, bacterial and animal toxins, or immune molecules. In each case, membrane damage can be prevented by divalent cations such as Ca2+ or Zn2+. The second example concerns the effect of stress stimuli on the ability of cells to take up glucose. Different stresses, such as hyperthermia, toxic chemicals or infection by certain viruses, cause cells to increase glucose uptake. As with insulin-stimulated glucose uptake, the mechanism is by translocation of the glucose transporter protein from an intracellular (inactive) site to the plasma membrane.
authors.affiliation: Department of Cellular and Molecular Sciences, St George's Hospital Medical School, University of London, UK.
authors.forename: C A
authors.initials: CA
authors.lastname: Pasternak
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001151:Arsenic / Q000494:pharmacology; D018053:Arsenites; D001693:Biological Transport, Active; D002118:Calcium / Q000378:metabolism; D002450:Cell Communication; D002463:Cell Membrane Permeability; D003603:Cytotoxins / Q000633:toxicity*; D005947:Glucose / Q000378:metabolism; D006358:Hot Temperature / Q000009:adverse effects; D007328:Insulin / Q000378:metabolism; D015398:Signal Transduction; D015032:Zinc / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D018053:Arsenites; D003603:Cytotoxins; D007328:Insulin; D005947:Glucose; D015032:Zinc; C015001:arsenite; D001151:Arsenic; D002118:Calcium