Glial Channels and Transporters that Mediate Excretion of K+ in the Microenvironment between Glia and Neurons Shape Neuronal Output in C. elegans

Isolated microenvironments, such as the tripartite synapse, where the concentration of ions is regulated independently from the surrounding tissues, exist throughout the nervous system. While the regulation of ions in these microenvironments is known to be mainly mediated by glia, the molecular mechanisms of ion regulation and effects on neuronal output and animal behavior are poorly understood. Using the model system C. elegans, our lab published that Na+ channels of the DEG/ENaC family expressed in glia control neuronal Ca2+ transients and animal behavior in response to sensory stimuli.

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