title: Sodium fluxes and astroglial function.
abstract: Astrocytes exhibit their excitability based on variations in cytosolic Ca(2+) levels, which leads to variety of signalling events. Only recently, however, intracellular fluctuations of more abundant cation Na(+) are brought in the limelight of glial signalling. Indeed, astrocytes possess several plasmalemmal molecular entities that allow rapid transport of Na(+) across the plasma membrane: (1) ionotropic receptors, (2) canonical transient receptor potential cation channels, (3) neurotransmitter transporters and (4) sodium-calcium exchanger. Concerted action of these molecules in controlling cytosolic Na(+) may complement Ca(2+) signalling to provide basis for complex bidirectional astrocyte-neurone communication at the tripartite synapse.
authors.affiliation: The University of Manchester, Oxford Road, Manchester, UK. alex.verkhratsky@manchester.ac.uk
authors.forename: Alexei
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Verkhratsky
authors.forename: Mami
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Noda
authors.forename: Vladimir
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Parpura
authors.forename: Sergei
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Kirischuk
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001253:Astrocytes / Q000166:cytology / Q000378:metabolism*; D020013:Calcium Signaling / Q000502:physiology*; D002450:Cell Communication / Q000502:physiology*; D002462:Cell Membrane / Q000378:metabolism*; D006801:Humans; D017136:Ion Transport / Q000502:physiology; D009474:Neurons / Q000166:cytology / Q000378:metabolism*; D012964:Sodium / Q000378:metabolism*; D019831:Sodium-Calcium Exchanger / Q000378:metabolism; D000254:Sodium-Potassium-Exchanging ATPase / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D019831:Sodium-Calcium Exchanger; D012964:Sodium; D000254:Sodium-Potassium-Exchanging ATPase