Ca²⁺ channels in micro- and macroglial cells

We will continue our studies on Ca²⁺-permeable cation channels determining glial cell function by capitalizing on TRPV2, and on a putative Ca²⁺ channel protein “calcium channel flower domain-containing protein 1“, also dubbed “flower”, which we initially characterized together with A10 (Pattu/Rettig). TRPV2 localizes to intracellular membranes but translocates to the plasma membrane upon stimulation of cells by growth factors.

Flower is predominantly localized on intracellular vesicles that, in cytotoxic T cells, move to the synapse on target cell contact. Both genes, Trpv2 and Cacfd1, are expressed in microglia. We will characterize their function in microglia invitro and in vivo (whole organism) using ko mice as controls.