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The Role of Neurons in Human Health and Disease—3rd Edition

A special issue of International Journal of Molecular Sciences (ISSN 1422-0067). This special issue belongs to the section "Molecular Neurobiology".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 31 January 2025 | Viewed by 946

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Department of Biomedical Engineering, University of Houston, Houston, TX 77204-5060, USA
Interests: coronary artery disease; stent; noninvasive monitoring; nonlinear dynamics analysis; approximate entropy; 3D co-culture; glioblastoma; astrocytes; tumor microenvironment; PEGDA; addiction; cancer research; data science in medicine
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Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

The brain is the central regulator of the organism, responsible for maintaining homeostasis. Neurons are the most critical components of the central and peripheral nervous systems. The immune system protects us from all possible threats that could endanger the well-being of a human body. A strong immune system or a weakened one could make all the difference between the healthy and diseased conditions of a human body. The nervous and immune systems are both crucial for the survival of human beings. The nervous system affects the activity of the immune system due to its unique anatomical structure and function. The brain can directly regulate the function of most physiological systems. Neuronal regulation can improve the conditions under which the immune system works by synchronizing its activity with other physiological functions. The brain has the ability to perceive and evaluate the threats before they physically affect the organism. This predictive capacity also helps the immune system prepare for possible danger in advance and could induce a more effective and faster response. One of the most prominent differences between the nervous and the immune systems is their speed of reaction. The nervous system can react within milliseconds, whereas immunological responses often require several minutes up to weeks to develop. Although a slower immune reaction is mostly sufficient, a faster response can be beneficial in some cases. In this Special Issue, we focus mainly on how the brain and the nervous system affect immunity, specifically peripheral immunity, and how they play an essential role in human health and disease.

Dr. Yasemin M. Akay
Guest Editor

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Keywords

  • brain
  • nervous system
  • neurons
  • immune system
  • human health and disease

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Published Papers (1 paper)

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Research

18 pages, 1302 KiB  
Article
Potentiation of NMDA Receptors by AT1 Angiotensin Receptor Activation in Layer V Pyramidal Neurons of the Rat Prefrontal Cortex
by Adrienn Hanuska, Polett Ribiczey, Erzsébet Kató, Zsolt Tamás Papp, Zoltán V. Varga, Zoltán Giricz, Zsuzsanna E. Tóth, Katalin Könczöl, Ákos Zsembery, Tibor Zelles, Laszlo G. Harsing, Jr. and László Köles
Int. J. Mol. Sci. 2024, 25(23), 12644; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijms252312644 - 25 Nov 2024
Viewed by 526
Abstract
NMDA receptors in the prefrontal cortex (PFC) play a crucial role in cognitive functions. Previous research has indicated that angiotensin II (Ang II) affects learning and memory. This study aimed to examine how Ang II impacts NMDA receptor activity in layer V pyramidal [...] Read more.
NMDA receptors in the prefrontal cortex (PFC) play a crucial role in cognitive functions. Previous research has indicated that angiotensin II (Ang II) affects learning and memory. This study aimed to examine how Ang II impacts NMDA receptor activity in layer V pyramidal cells of the rat PFC. Whole-cell patch-clamp experiments were performed in pyramidal cells in brain slices of 9–12-day-old rats. NMDA (30 μM) induced inward currents. Ang II (0.001–1 µM) significantly enhanced NMDA currents in about 40% of pyramidal cells. This enhancement was reversed by the AT1 antagonist eprosartan (1 µM), but not by the AT2 receptor antagonist PD 123319 (5 μM). When pyramidal neurons were synaptically isolated, the increase in NMDA currents due to Ang II was eliminated. Additionally, the dopamine D1 receptor antagonist SCH 23390 (10 μM) reversed the Ang II-induced enhancement, whereas the D2 receptor antagonist sulpiride (20 μM) had no effect. The potentiation of NMDA currents in a subpopulation of layer V pyramidal neurons by Ang II, involving AT1 receptor activation and dopaminergic signaling, may serve as an underlying mechanism for the effects of the renin–angiotensin system (RAS) elements on neuronal functions. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue The Role of Neurons in Human Health and Disease—3rd Edition)
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