RT Journal Article
SR Electronic
T1 Thalamic Ryanodine Receptors Are Involved in Controlling the Tonic Firing of Thalamocortical Neurons and Inflammatory Pain Signal Processing
JF The Journal of Neuroscience
JO J. Neurosci.
FD Society for Neuroscience
SP 1213
OP 1218
DO 10.1523/JNEUROSCI.3203-10.2011
VO 31
IS 4
A1 Eunji Cheong
A1 Chanki Kim
A1 B. Jiwon Choi
A1 Minjeong Sun
A1 Hee-Sup Shin
YR 2011
UL http://www.jneurosci.org/content/31/4/1213.abstract
AB Ryanodine receptors (RyRs) are highly conductive intracellular Ca2+ release channels which are widely expressed in the CNS. They rapidly increase the intracellular Ca2+ concentrations in neuronal cells in response to Ca2+ influx through voltage-gated Ca2+ channels. A previous study reported that RyRs were expressed in thalamocortical (TC) neurons, but their physiological function has remained elusive. Here, we show that the activation of RyRs in TC neurons in mice decreases their tonic firing rate while blocking them induces the opposite response. Furthermore, activation of RyRs in ventroposteriomedial/ventroposteriolateral nuclei reduces the behavioral responses to inflammatory pain and blocking them increases the responses. This study highlights the importance of the intracellular Ca2+ release via RyRs in controlling the excitability of TC neurons and in inflammatory pain signal processing in the thalamus.