Expression of Podosomes and Small-conductance Ca2+-activated K+ Channels in Cultured Microglia

• Main Author: Vincent, Catherine
• Other Authors: Schlichter, Lyanne C.
• Language: en_ca
• Published: 2012
• Subjects: Microglia; podosomes; SK3; SK; 0379
• Online Access: http://hdl.handle.net/1807/35155

The presence of microglia at sites of CNS injury can potentially shift the balance between neuronal survival and death; however, the mechanisms regulating their mobilization to these sites are still poorly understood. Here I report that microglia express podosomes, short-lived, punctate organelles which adhere to and degrade extracellular matrix (ECM). Podosomes and related invadopodia of cancer cells have recently been the focus of much interest for their roles in migration and invasion. Microglial podosomes degraded ECM, providing impetus for further study of their function in microglia. Further, I report the Ca2+-activated SK3 channel as a novel component of the podosome core. While SK3 and SK4 channels are reported to play redundant roles in activated microglia (Kaushal et al., 2007; Schlichter et al., 2010), immunostaining work suggests that they are differentially regulated during microglial activation. Together, these results suggest unique functions for these channel subtypes in microglia.