Premium
Circumventricular Organs: Gateways to the Brain Membrane Properties Of Subfornical Organ Neurons
Author(s) -
Washburn David Ls,
Ferguson Alastair V
Publication year - 2001
Publication title -
clinical and experimental pharmacology and physiology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.752
H-Index - 103
eISSN - 1440-1681
pISSN - 0305-1870
DOI - 10.1046/j.1440-1681.2001.03489.x
Subject(s) - subfornical organ , circumventricular organs , neuroscience , second messenger system , forebrain , biology , hypothalamus , medulla , osmoreceptor , central nervous system , chemistry , receptor , medicine , microbiology and biotechnology , endocrinology , angiotensin ii , signal transduction
SUMMARY 1. The subfornical organ (SFO) is a forebrain circumventricular structure that plays an integral role in the regulation of fluid balance by acting as the interface between the circulation and the central nervous system. Thus, changes in the activity of SFO neurons can have significant effects on key regulatory loci involved in autonomic control, such as the hypothalamus and medulla. 2. Circulating messengers that affect SFO neurons do so through receptor‐mediated regulation of the intrinsic ionic conductances expressed by SFO neurons. It is through the coordinated interaction of the complement of voltage‐gated ion channels that SFO neurons are able to produce unique firing patterns and respond specifically to such a wide range of diverse extracellular messengers.