Ocular surface wetness is regulated by TRPM8-dependent cold thermoreceptors of the cornea.
basic_science · Level V
Where this comes from
- Record sourced from PubMed, PMID 21076394.
- Also identified by DOI 10.1038/nm.2264.
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Abstract
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.
Medical subject headings
- Cornea
- Dry Eye Syndromes
- Ocular Physiological Phenomena
- TRPM Cation Channels
- Tears
- Thermoreceptors