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. 2012 Jan 23:5:2.
doi: 10.3389/fnmol.2012.00002. eCollection 2012.

Somatosensory scaffolding structures

Nathaniel A Jeske  1
Affiliations

Somatosensory scaffolding structures

Nathaniel A Jeske. Front Mol Neurosci. .

Abstract

Dynamic changes in somatosensory perception occur as a result of multiple signaling events. In many instances, over-activation of sensory receptors results in the desensitization and subsequent increased threshold for activation of receptors. In other cases, receptor sensitization can occur following tissue injury and/or inflammation. In both cases, signaling mechanisms that control alterations in receptor activities can significantly affect organism response to sensory stimuli, including thermal, mechanical, and chemical. Due to the homeostatic nature of somatosensory recognition, dynamic changes in receptor response can negatively affect an individual's way of life, as well as alert individuals to tissue damage. Here, we will focus on scaffolding structures that regulate somatosensory neuronal excitability.

Keywords: AKAP; Jeske; afferent; homer; lipid raft; pain; scaffold.

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Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1
Homer protein scaffolding at post-synaptic synapses. The Homer scaffolding complex links mGluR1/5 receptors to intracellular calcium stores via IP3 receptors, and also links to NMDA receptors to dynamically regulate the transfer of somatosensory information.
Figure 2
Figure 2
AKAP 79/150 scaffolding at afferent terminals. AKAP 79/150 (AKAP150) is natively anchored to the plasma membrane via PIP2 linkages that are hydrolyzed following phospholipase C (PLC) activation, releasing AKAP150 to associate with substrate receptors, such as TRPV1. AKAP150 association with TRPV1 allows for PKA- and PKC-mediated phosphorylation and sensitization of the receptor to peripheral stimuli.
Figure 3
Figure 3
Lipid raft scaffolding at plasma membranes. Lipid rafts centralize signal transduction through certain receptors, including the μ-opioid receptor (MOR), TRPM8 and TRPV1, via their intracellular association with microdomains concentrated in cholesterol and sphingolipids. Lipid rafts also anchor extracellular peptidases EP24.15/16, to metabolize neuropeptides such as bradykinin (BK), reducing free extracellular content available for receptor activation.
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