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(Hypertension. 2008;51:1265.)
© 2008 American Heart Association, Inc.

Brief Reviews

Sensing Tension

Epithelial Sodium Channel/Acid-Sensing Ion Channel Proteins in Cardiovascular Homeostasis

From the Department of Physiology and Biophysics and Center for Excellence in Cardio-Renal Research (H.A.D., S.C.G.), University of Mississippi Medical Center, Jackson, Miss; and the Department of Cell Biology and Physiology (N.L.J.), University of New Mexico, Albuquerque.

Correspondence to Heather A. Drummond, Department of Physiology and Biophysics, University of Mississippi Medical Center, 2500 N State St, Jackson, MS 39216-4505. E-mail hdrummond@physiology.umsmed.edu

An extract of the first 250 words of the full text is provided, because this article has no abstract.

	Introduction

 
The epithelial sodium (Na⁺) channel (ENaC) plays a critical role in blood pressure regulation by controlling renal salt and water reabsorption. Channel overactivity can lead to severe hypertension and underactivity to salt wasting and hypotension.¹ In addition to their role in salt/water homeostasis, recent studies suggest that ENaC proteins, and their relatives, the acid-sensing ion channel (ASIC) proteins, may play more ubiquitous roles in cardiovascular regulation than considered previously. Recent evidence suggests that ENaC/ASIC proteins may act as mechanosensors and chemosensors in the cardiovascular system. ENaC/ASIC proteins are expressed in mechanosensing and chemosensing tissues, such as vascular smooth muscle cells (VSMCs), carotid body glomus cells, and sensory neurons innervating arterial baroreceptors, heart, and skeletal muscle. Disruption of the ENaC/ASIC channels alters myogenic constriction, arterial chemoreceptor and baroreceptor responses, and acid-induced responses in heart and skeletal muscle. This brief review summarizes the evidence supporting a role for ENaC and ASIC proteins in diverse systems of cardiovascular mechanosensing and chemosensing. Together, these studies suggest that ENaC/ASIC proteins contribute to cardiovascular homeostasis by mediating neural and local regulatory mechanisms.

	The Degenerin/ENaC/ASIC Family

 
ENaC and ASIC proteins are members of a protein family termed the degenerin (DEG)/ENaC/ASIC family. Members of this family are expressed in a wide range of species (nematode Caenorhabditis elegans, Drosophila, and mammals) and participate in diverse biological functions, including neurodegeneration, acid sensation, taste, learning and memory, proprioception, Na⁺/water transport, and mechanosensation. All of the members of the DEG/ENaC/ASIC family share a highly conserved structure: intracellular N and C termini . . . [Full Text of this Article]

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