Researchers discover molecular mechanism that desensitizes us to cold
...ng lipid in the cell membrane called PIP2. Cold or menthol stimulate this receptor and alter the electrical properties of the membrane, a process that leads to the sensation of cold. When the receptor is stimulated, calcium enters the cell and stimulates the breakdown of PIP2. When PIP2 is broken down, the r...Novel method reveals how menthol discovery could point towards new or improved pain therapies
...ations. Understanding how small molecules such as menthol affect the function of these proteins could be cru... mutants to find mutants that were not enhanced by menthol but were otherwise functioning normally. The scientists' analysis pinpointed a potential interactio...Wasabi's kick linked to single pain receptor
...a cold-activated channel underlies the response to menthol and other cooling agents, previous research showed. While earlier evidence had shown mustard oil and garlic extract to stimulate TRPA1, it had not been determined whether the channel was their exclusive target, Julius said. In the current study, the ...McGovern Institute Scolnick Prize awarded to David Julius
... produces a cooling sensation. He showed that the menthol receptor responds to cold temperatures, thereby proving that the TRP family of ion channels constitutes the fundamental mechanism for temperature sensation in mammals. In addition to explaining how we perceive temperature, Dr. Julius has made majo...J&JPRD discovery may lead to new treatments for chronic sensitivity, pain caused by cold
...eceptor called TRPM8, also referred to as the cold menthol receptor 1. Then, they tested how these mice reacted to cold stimuli, and found that not having these receptors reduced their adverse reactions to the cold, both under normal and pathological conditions. Results suggest that TRPM8 modulation could ...Menthol receptor also important in detecting cold temperatures
New Haven, Conn.The ion channel activated by menthol also detects a wide range of cold temperatures and relays the information to the brain, according to a study in Nature by Yale School of Medicine, the University of California at San Francisco (UCSF), and the University of Wisconsin. The finding s...