How stomatin stops ASIC3 gating

摘要

Acid-sensingionchannels(ASICs)aretrimeric, Na + -conducting, voltage-insensitive channels that are expressed throughout the central and peripheral nervous systems and are activated by low extracellular pH (1). The channels have been implicated in a range of physiological functions, including learning and memory, as well as fear responses. Blocking ASICs, mean- while, can inhibit pain and reduce neuronal damagecausedbyischemicstroke.Inthisissue of JGP, Klipp et al. provide new insights into howtheintegralmonotopicmembraneprotein stomatin(STOM)suppressestheactivityofone family member, ASIC3 (2).