the-aps.org>meetings>eb

Novel Aspects Of The Regulation And Physiology Of NHE1
Sponsored by The APS Cell & Molecular Physiology Section
Transporters Track

The ubiquitous Na⁺/H⁺ exchanger, NHE1, plays central roles in the control of cell volume, intracellular pH (pH_i), and cytoskeletal organization. Pivotal cell functions such as migration, proliferation, and cell death/survival balance are dependent on NHE1, which is also implicated in clinically important pathological states such as cardiac ischemia/reperfusion injury, and cancer cell growth/survival and metastasis. Novel aspects of NHE1 regulation have emerged in recent years suggesting it is a multifunctional protein. Thus, in addition to its regulation of pH_i, [Na⁺]_i, and cell volume homeostasis, NHE1 appears to act as a scaffold in the assembly of signaling complexes that may be locally regulated by activity of the exchanger. 

The aim of the symposium is to address and discuss the question of how NHE1 functions as a regulator of cell behaviors such as migration/invasion and the balance between cell survival and cell death – specifically, to what extent such effects of NHE1 are to be understood as resulting from ion transport via NHE1 versus its role in scaffolding signaling complexes and regulation of the actin-based cytoskeleton. The symposium will provide a broad view of the recent developments, open questions, and future directions in the understanding of this important ion transporter.