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Exploring the determinants of chloride homeostasis in neurons using biophysical models

Fast synaptic inhibition in the nervous system depends on the transmembrane flux of Cl ions via activated GABAA and glycine receptors. As a result, changes to the neuronal driving force for Cl- are thought to play pivotal roles in many physiological and pathological brain processes. Established theo...

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Main Author: Düsterwald, Kira M
Other Authors: Raimondo, Joseph V
Format: Thesis
Language:English
Published: Department of Human Biology 2019
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access_status_str Open Access
author Düsterwald, Kira M
author2 Raimondo, Joseph V
author_browse Düsterwald, Kira M
Raimondo, Joseph V
author_facet Raimondo, Joseph V
Düsterwald, Kira M
author_sort Düsterwald, Kira M
collection Thesis
description Fast synaptic inhibition in the nervous system depends on the transmembrane flux of Cl ions via activated GABAA and glycine receptors. As a result, changes to the neuronal driving force for Cl- are thought to play pivotal roles in many physiological and pathological brain processes. Established theories regarding the determinants of Cl- driving force have recently been questioned based on new experimental data. However, it is experimentally difficult to distinguish the respective contributions of the multiple, dynamically interacting mechanisms which may be important in Cl- homeostasis. Here I present biophysical models of Cl- homeostasis using the pump-leak formulation. By means of numerical and novel analytic solutions, I demonstrate that the Na+/K+-ATPase, ion conductances, impermeant anions, electrodiffusion, water fluxes and cation-chloride cotransporters (CCCs) play roles in setting the Cl- driving force. Importantly, I show that while impermeant anions can contribute to setting [Cl- ]i in neurons, they have a negligible effect on the driving force for Cl locally and cell-wide. In contrast, I demonstrate that CCCs are well-suited for modulating Cl- driving force and hence inhibitory signalling in neurons. This prediction is supported by a meta-analysis of multiple experimental studies, which demonstrates a strong correlation between the expression of the cationchloride cotransporter KCC2 and intracellular Cl concentration. My findings reconcile recent experimental findings and provide a framework for understanding the interplay of different chloride regulatory processes in neurons.
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institution University of Cape Town (South Africa)
language eng
last_indexed 2026-06-10T12:32:21.936Z
license_str Not specified — see source repository
provenance_str_mv Harvested via OAI-PMH from UCTD — University of Cape Town Open Access Repository
publishDate 2019
publishDateRange 2019
publishDateSort 2019
publisher Department of Human Biology
publisherStr Department of Human Biology
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source_str UCTD — University of Cape Town Open Access Repository
spelling oai:open.uct.ac.za:11427/29611 Exploring the determinants of chloride homeostasis in neurons using biophysical models Düsterwald, Kira M Raimondo, Joseph V Neuroscience Fast synaptic inhibition in the nervous system depends on the transmembrane flux of Cl ions via activated GABAA and glycine receptors. As a result, changes to the neuronal driving force for Cl- are thought to play pivotal roles in many physiological and pathological brain processes. Established theories regarding the determinants of Cl- driving force have recently been questioned based on new experimental data. However, it is experimentally difficult to distinguish the respective contributions of the multiple, dynamically interacting mechanisms which may be important in Cl- homeostasis. Here I present biophysical models of Cl- homeostasis using the pump-leak formulation. By means of numerical and novel analytic solutions, I demonstrate that the Na+/K+-ATPase, ion conductances, impermeant anions, electrodiffusion, water fluxes and cation-chloride cotransporters (CCCs) play roles in setting the Cl- driving force. Importantly, I show that while impermeant anions can contribute to setting [Cl- ]i in neurons, they have a negligible effect on the driving force for Cl locally and cell-wide. In contrast, I demonstrate that CCCs are well-suited for modulating Cl- driving force and hence inhibitory signalling in neurons. This prediction is supported by a meta-analysis of multiple experimental studies, which demonstrates a strong correlation between the expression of the cationchloride cotransporter KCC2 and intracellular Cl concentration. My findings reconcile recent experimental findings and provide a framework for understanding the interplay of different chloride regulatory processes in neurons. 2019-02-18T11:01:02Z 2019-02-18T11:01:02Z 2018 2019-02-18T08:25:27Z Master Thesis Masters MSc http://hdl.handle.net/11427/29611 eng application/pdf Department of Human Biology Faculty of Health Sciences University of Cape Town
spellingShingle Neuroscience
Düsterwald, Kira M
Exploring the determinants of chloride homeostasis in neurons using biophysical models
thesis_degree_str Master's
title Exploring the determinants of chloride homeostasis in neurons using biophysical models
title_full Exploring the determinants of chloride homeostasis in neurons using biophysical models
title_fullStr Exploring the determinants of chloride homeostasis in neurons using biophysical models
title_full_unstemmed Exploring the determinants of chloride homeostasis in neurons using biophysical models
title_short Exploring the determinants of chloride homeostasis in neurons using biophysical models
title_sort exploring the determinants of chloride homeostasis in neurons using biophysical models
topic Neuroscience
url http://hdl.handle.net/11427/29611
work_keys_str_mv AT dusterwaldkiram exploringthedeterminantsofchloridehomeostasisinneuronsusingbiophysicalmodels