Vanilloid receptor-related osmotically activated channel (VR-OAC), a candidate vertebrate osmoreceptor.
The detection of osmotic stimuli is essential for all organisms, yet few osmoreceptive proteins are known, none of them in vertebrates. By employing a candidate-gene approach based on genes encoding members of the TRP superfamily of ion channels, we cloned cDNAs encoding the vanilloid receptor-related osmotically activated channel (VR-OAC) from the rat, mouse, human, and chicken. This novel cation-selective channel is gated by exposure to hypotonicity within the physiological range. In the central nervous system, the channel is expressed in neurons of the circumventricular organs, neurosensory cells responsive to systemic osmotic pressure. The channel also occurs in other neurosensory cells, including inner-ear hair cells, sensory neurons, and Merkel cells.
Liedtke
W
W
Laboratory of Molecular Genetics, The Rockefeller University, New York, New York 10021, USA.
Choe
Y
Y
Martí-Renom
M A
MA
Bell
A M
AM
Denis
C S
CS
Sali
A
A
Hudspeth
A J
AJ
Friedman
J M
JM
Heller
S
S
D000595:Amino Acid Sequence; D000818:Animals; D017089:Ankyrin Repeat / Q000235:genetics / Q000502:physiology; D001921:Brain / Q000166:cytology / Q000378:metabolism / Q000502:physiology; D016466:CHO Cells; D020013:Calcium Signaling; D002412:Cations / Q000378:metabolism; D002645:Chickens / Q000235:genetics; D002881:Chromosomes, Human, Pair 12 / Q000235:genetics; D002886:Chromosomes, Human, Pair 17 / Q000235:genetics; D003001:Cloning, Molecular; D006224:Cricetinae; D004594:Electrophysiology; D020869:Gene Expression Profiling; D006199:Hair Cells, Auditory, Inner / Q000737:chemistry / Q000378:metabolism / Q000502:physiology; D006801:Humans; D007038:Hypotonic Solutions; D017403:In Situ Hybridization; D015640:Ion Channel Gating; D018862:Merkel Cells / Q000737:chemistry / Q000378:metabolism; D051379:Mice; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D009475:Neurons, Afferent / Q000737:chemistry / Q000378:metabolism / Q000502:physiology; D009994:Osmolar Concentration; D009997:Osmotic Pressure; D010802:Phylogeny; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000032:analysis / Q000235:genetics; D021101:Radiation Hybrid Mapping; D051381:Rats; D011955:Receptors, Drug / Q000737:chemistry / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D016415:Sequence Alignment
D002412:Cations; D007038:Hypotonic Solutions; D012333:RNA, Messenger; D011955:Receptors, Drug