[extropy-chat] BIO: Brain Cells Live Hours without Oxygen

[Robert J. Bradbury]

On Thu, 25 Dec 2003, R.Coyote wrote:

> This is of  HUGE import methinks.
>
> http://www.betterhumans.com/News/news.aspx?articleID=2003-12-24-4

Interesting.  Poking around in PubMed it would appear that the
major ion channel involved -- TRPM7 has a major role as a transport
channel for Ca++ and Mg++.  Ca++ I believe plays an important
role in cellular homeostasis and perhaps regulation of apoptosis.
Mg++ may play a role in the transmission of neural impulses
in certain types of neurons.  But according to:
  http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov:80/entrez/query.fcgi?cmd=Retrieve&db=PubMed&list_uids=12508053&dopt=Abstract
the ion channel is also involved in the transmission of a number
of other ++ ions -- from nasty ones (Ni++, Cd++, Co++) to
essential ones (Zn++).

So it would appear to be a key player from both positive
and negative perspectives.  The question would be how
oxygen/glucose deprivation might alter its behavior.

Robert