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Membrane compartments and purinergic signalling: the role of plasma membrane microdomains in the modulation of P2XR‐mediated signalling
Author(s) -
GarciaMarcos Mikel,
Dehaye JeanPaul,
Marino Aida
Publication year - 2009
Publication title -
the febs journal
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.981
H-Index - 204
eISSN - 1742-4658
pISSN - 1742-464X
DOI - 10.1111/j.1742-4658.2008.06794.x
Subject(s) - microbiology and biotechnology , lipid raft , purinergic receptor , signalling , signal transduction , receptor , biology , purinergic signalling , context (archaeology) , cell signaling , ion channel , juxtacrine signalling , chemistry , biochemistry , extracellular , paracrine signalling , agonist , adenosine receptor , paleontology
Purinergic signalling is implicated in virtually any cellular and physiological function. These functions are mediated through the activation of different receptor subfamilies, among which P2X receptors (P2XRs) are ligand‐gated ion channels that respond mostly to ATP. In addition to forming a nonselective cation channel, these receptors engage with a complex network of signalling pathways, including protein kinase cascades, lipid signal mediators and proteases. It is poorly understood how P2XR stimulation couples to such a variety of intracellular pathways and how the outcome from this complex signalling network is tuned. In this context, segregation of receptors and other signalling components at the plasma membrane is an attractive explanation. Lipid rafts are microdomains of biological membranes with unique physicochemical properties that make them segregate from the bulk of the membrane, provoking the differential partition of receptors and signalling molecules among different domains of the plasma membrane. Here we give an overview of the properties of lipid rafts and how they are studied, along with recent advances in the understanding of their role in modulating P2XR‐mediated signalling.