, 2009). Given the wide expression of Nalcn in the nervous system, it is not surprising that NALCN is involved in a diffuse array of additional functions. Both worm and fly Nalcn mutants have an altered sensitivity to anesthetics such as halothane ( Humphrey et al., 2007 and Nash et al., 2002). It’s not clear whether the NALCN complex is a direct target of the drugs, or if the altered sensitivity is a result of a disruption in the balance between the hyperpolarizing
activity of K+ channels and the depolarization provided by NALCN. Finally, heterozygous Unc79 mutant mice display a hypersensitivity to alcohol and an increased voluntary alcohol consumption ( Speca et al., 2010). SP-regulated, INALCN-like current GDC-0068 solubility dmso Tofacitinib has been detected in VTA dopaminergic neurons and spinal cord sensory neurons, implicating NALCN in a wide array of animal responses such as pain sensation and reward-seeking behavior. The future use of
conditional knockout mice carrying Nalcn deletion in specific brain and spinal cord regions during selected time windows should be useful in determining whether regulation of NALCN is important for important animal behaviors such as pain sensation and substance addiction. As is the case for K+ leak conductances, Na+ leak currents have been known by physiologists for over 60 years. In recent years, researchers have finally identified a Na+ leak channel, elucidated the members of the channel complex, and revealed some of this channel’s fundamental roles in neuronal function
and animal behavior. Surprisingly, the NALCN channel is not completely selective, but instead is permeable to both Na+ and K+. The basal PNa/PK in neurons is very low (4% in the squid giant axon [Hodgkin and Katz, 1949b]). Under certain conditions, as a result of the synergistic actions between the G protein-dependent and -independent GPCR signaling pathways, the NALCN current can be increased more than 20-fold over basal levels. Given the dominant contribution of NALCN to basal PNa, this synergistic action may provide a powerful non-inactivating excitation to the neurons. Future studies using NALCN blockers and conditional knockout mice will reveal the specific excitatory actions of NALCN in different types of neurons, as well as in the various compartment NET1 of a single neuron. UNC79 and UNC80 are large and highly-conserved proteins that, as yet, have no identifiable domains. It is perhaps not likely that these two large proteins function solely in channel conduction per se. Future studies may reveal “nonchannel” functions of these proteins and their involvement in the regulation of neuronal excitability and plasticity. NALCN-related mutations may also be found to associate with human diseases. In humans, NALCN, UNC79, and UNC80 are encoded by genes that together span a large genomic region of ∼1 Mb on three chromosome locations (13q32, 14q32, and 2q34).