Cold thermoreceptors of the corneafunctional characteristics

  1. Parra Martin, Andrés
Dirigida por:
  1. Carlos Belmonte Martínez Director/a
  2. Rodolfo Madrid Montecinos Codirector/a

Universidad de defensa: Universidad Miguel Hernández de Elche

Fecha de defensa: 13 de enero de 2012

Tribunal:
  1. Peter Mcnaughton Presidente/a
  2. Antonio Vicente Ferrer Montiel Secretario/a
  3. Ana Mª de los Angeles Sánchez García Vocal
  4. Ana Gomis García Vocal
  5. Karel Talavera Vocal

Tipo: Tesis

Teseo: 319576 DIALNET

Resumen

Basal tearing is crucial to maintaining ocular surface wetness. Corneal cold thermoreceptors sense small oscillations in ambient temperature and change their discharge accordingly. Deletion of the cold-transducing ion channel Transient receptor potential cation channel subfamily M member 8 (TRPM8) in mice abrogates cold responsiveness and reduces basal tearing without affecting nociceptor-mediated irritative tearing. Warming of the cornea in humans also decreases tearing rate. These findings indicate that TRPM8-dependent impulse activity in corneal cold receptors contributes to regulating basal tear flow.