| First Author | Pang DS | Year | 2009 |
| Journal | Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A | Volume | 106 |
| Issue | 41 | Pages | 17546-51 |
| PubMed ID | 19805135 | Mgi Jnum | J:153685 |
| Mgi Id | MGI:4366107 | Doi | 10.1073/pnas.0907228106 |
| Citation | Pang DS, et al. (2009) An unexpected role for TASK-3 potassium channels in network oscillations with implications for sleep mechanisms and anesthetic action. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 106(41):17546-51 |
| abstractText | TASK channels are acid-sensitive and anesthetic-activated members of the family of two-pore-domain potassium channels. We have made the surprising discovery that the genetic ablation of TASK-3 channels eliminates a specific type of theta oscillation in the cortical electroencephalogram (EEG) resembling type II theta (4-9 Hz), which is thought to be important in processing sensory stimuli before initiating motor activity. In contrast, ablation of TASK-1 channels has no effect on theta oscillations. Despite the absence of type II theta oscillations in the TASK-3 knockout (KO) mice, the related type I theta, which has certain neuronal pathways in common and is involved in exploratory behavior, is unaffected. In addition to the absence of type II theta oscillations, the TASK-3 KO animals show marked alterations in both anesthetic sensitivity and natural sleep behavior. Their sensitivity to halothane, a potent activator of TASK channels, is greatly reduced, whereas their sensitivity to cyclopropane, which does not activate TASK-3 channels, is unchanged. The TASK-3 KO animals exhibit a slower progression from their waking to sleeping states and, during their sleeping period, their sleep episodes as well as their REM theta oscillations are more fragmented. These results imply a previously unexpected role for TASK-3 channels in the cellular mechanisms underlying these behaviors and suggest that endogenous modulators of these channels may regulate theta oscillations. |
