Cold thermoreceptors of the corneafunctional characteristics
- Parra Martin, Andrés
- Carlos Belmonte Martínez Director/a
- Rodolfo Madrid Montecinos Codirector/a
Universidad de defensa: Universidad Miguel Hernández de Elche
Fecha de defensa: 13 de enero de 2012
- Peter Mcnaughton Presidente/a
- Antonio Vicente Ferrer Montiel Secretario/a
- Ana Mª de los Angeles Sánchez García Vocal
- Ana Gomis García Vocal
- Karel Talavera Vocal
Tipo: Tesis
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.